Episode 76 · The GaS Digital / Ray Kump Era
2017, A Year Of Love And Peace
Dec 25, 2017 · 1:10:00 · 25 segments, 157 moments indexed
- 1 min
Show intro music and announcement for Tim Dillon's Going to Hell with Tim Dillon and Ray Kump.
1moment
- 0:26Tim welcomes listeners to the year in review episode
- 2 min
Year-End Montage Nostalgia and 2017's Nightmares
#Tim and Ray riff on cheesy high school year-end montages, Tim's dad's love of sentimentality, and then pivot to how 2017 was an unrelenting string of nightmares with barely a light moment, highlighting the Giannis Pappas episode as the closest thing to a happy one.
5moments
- 0:33Tim recalls his father loving year-end montages, calling him a sentimentalist full of shit.
- 0:59Catholic school montages would show happy kids while Tim tried to blow them up.
- 1:20Year-end recaps appeal to sentimentalists, though Tim admits he's not above watching them occasionally.
- 1:35Looking back over a year of the show reveals nothing but unending nightmares for every guest.
- 1:46The lightest episode was when Giannis Pappas discussed how their unfulfilled careers hollowed them out.
- 1 min
Tim pitches subscribing to Gas Digital Network with promo code HELL, listing the perks, then he and Ray joke about the message boards being a lawless Craigslist-style free-for-all with weird trades like turkeys and Starbucks gift cards.
3moments
- 2:21Tim promotes Gas Digital Network subscription with promo code HELP for six dollars a month.
- 2:50Subscription includes Legion of Skanks podcast with Lewis Gomez and Nick Mullen, plus ad-free archives five days before iTunes release.
- 3:27Tim jokes about trading two hundred dollars in Starbucks gift cards for services on the message board.
- 3 min
Angry Audiences, White Privilege, and Comedy in 2017
#Tim talks about performing in New Hampshire, Portland, and Woodstock to increasingly tense, sensitive audiences, then goes on an extended rant about privileged liberal-arts crowds feeling complicit and getting offended by his comedy, mocking the idea of white guilt and comparing it to Native American poverty and celebrity scandals like TJ Miller and Mario Batali.
6moments
- 4:17Tim hasn't seen a happy person in a very long time.
- 4:29Tim catalogs the cascade of bad news: inauguration, travel ban, immigration, TJ Miller, Mario Batali.
- 4:55Tim describes the current climate as one where nobody's real and everyone is tense, anxious, angry.
- 5:13White, young, urban millennials who grew up privileged are less likely to laugh at the horrors of the world.
- 5:31Tim's comedy explicitly deals with the horrors of the world, not goofy material.
- 5:54Tim is sick of hearing about white privilege and sarcastically suggests wealthy audiences tithe to the poor and donate their skin for grafting onto burned children.
- 2 min
Tim and Ray open a mystery envelope from a listener called Call George containing a $6.66 check/money order, joking about the number matching the show's 'Going to Hell' theme and puzzling over what kind of financial instrument it actually is.
6moments
- 6:26Going to a comedy show and getting offended by a joke is the definition of the least you can do for anybody.
- 6:55Sometimes the only thing that balances how on you are is how off you are—that's what makes it interesting.
- 7:17Call George sent a gift from Sioux Falls, about to open it.
- 7:37Call George gave $6.66—a reference to the show's hell theme.
- 7:53Tim questions what he's supposed to do with a six-dollar-sixty-six check or money order.
- 8:24The payment instrument is unclear—possibly drug money processing or some kind of Western Union document.
- 1 min
Fan Base Math and LA Trip Tease
#Quick bit about their podcast's monthly earnings versus the $6.66 gift, followed by Tim announcing he'll be in LA in January.
1moment
- 8:45Tim questions whether they have a fan base or fan communities of people making $35,000 a month
- 4 min
The Ace Hotel Garbage Bag Story in New Orleans
#Tim tells a long story about taping his comedy special in New Orleans, avoiding the trendy Ace Hotel in favor of a normal Embassy Suites, and ending up looking homeless while carrying his clothes in a grocery bag, running into a cool, terrified LA comedy writer, plus a tangent about eating a biscuit in the rain and discovering good grits.
10moments
- 9:15Tim was taping a half-hour special in New Orleans at the Ace Hotel, which he found dark and dreary.
- 9:25An LA writer for Kimmel was there taping his own special, walking around in sunglasses looking cool.
- 9:47Tim checked out of the Ace Hotel and booked an Embassy Suites nearby because he hated the hipster vibe.
- 10:14He didn't tell Comedy Central about switching hotels, so he left clothes and wardrobe at the Ace and had to keep going back for meetings.
- 10:41Tim stuffed his clothes into a grocery bag and walked around New Orleans in freezing rain wearing a t-shirt and hoodie.
- 11:04When he tried to say hello to the LA guy, the writer looked terrified, apparently concerned Tim was about to attack him.
- 11:48The LA writer barely acknowledged Tim, saying he hadn't seen the special and quickly walking away on his cell phone.
- 12:07Tim stood outside the Ace Hotel in the freezing rain eating a biscuit from his other hotel, holding a garbage bag.
- 12:23Comedy Central executives were walking into the Ace while Tim's agent told him he looked homeless despite having just taped a special.
- 12:41Tim's Embassy Suites had an exceptional breakfast with flaky biscuits and excellent cheesy grits that surprised him.
- 2 min
Russ Baker's Full-Circle Fall From Grace
#Tim and Ray look back on their relationship with journalist Russ Baker, from loving his book Family of Secrets and his early appearances to souring on him after a live show where he seemed schmaltzy, evasive, and possibly (jokingly) poisoned them at dinner.
5moments
- 13:41Tim explains how they've come full circle on Russ Baker—started loving him, now indifferent.
- 14:23Tim: they've never done an about-face on a guest as dramatic as Baker, who went from amazing to problematic.
- 14:37Russ took them to dinner and Tim believes he was poisoned, though he can't say for certain.
- 14:58A live show with Baker where he was all over the place, grasping for laughs and trying to be charming.
- 15:09Tim criticizes Baker for repurposing questions and reestablishing facts instead of just shutting up and answering.
Russ Bakerlittle Anna AmyFamily of Secrets
- 3 min
Why Investigative Journalists Can't Sell Themselves
#Tim reflects on how the show grew out of car rides to Long Island discussing blacklisted journalists, and how many of these researchers, despite doing great work, are socially awkward and bad at self-promotion compared to figures like Alex Jones.
7moments
- 15:39Tim identifies a good investigative journalist trapped in a climate where he feels forced to master everything else.
- 16:07Serious journalists now feel obligated to build a brand on social media platforms like Snapchat.
- 16:28Russ Baker is very good at journalism but lacks the air presence to succeed on recurring cable news spots.
- 16:43Tim recalls starting the podcast from conversations in Ray's unheated car, reading books and discussing blacklisted media figures.
- 17:35Many investigative journalists are socially inept and awkward, unable to handle themselves outside their specific skill.
- 18:06These journalists lack self-promotion skills and work ethic, which is why Alex Jones has succeeded where others haven't.
- 18:18Part of what makes integrity work is also figuring out how to get your message heard in the modern media landscape.
- 3 min
Being 'On': David Talbot, Nick Bryant, and Guest Performance
#Continuing the media-guest thread, they discuss the importance of being engaging in interviews, praising Nick Bryant as a great, unsettling guest, and touching on David Talbot's stroke recovery and other guests who didn't perform well on their show.
4moments
- 18:38Tim defines what he means by being "on" — the ability to elevate yourself when given opportunities like a live podcast.
- 19:17David Talbot, who came on to discuss The Devil's Chessboard, is a sweet guy but was recovering from a stroke at the time.
- 19:53Nick Bryant was a great guest with pretty scary material, and things got even scarier when the mics went off.
- 20:28Tim explains that people who write about dark areas are permanently affected, pointing to Bryant as someone visibly changed by his research.
- 3 min
Wormwood, Frank Olson's Son, and Obsession's Toll
#Tim and Ray discuss the Wormwood documentary series, particularly how Frank Olson's son was consumed and damaged by his lifelong quest to uncover his father's CIA-linked death, tying it to how research into dark topics takes a toll on the people who pursue it.
8moments
- 20:53Tim just started watching the documentary Wormwood about Frank Olson's son.
- 21:06The son's obsession with investigating his father's death ruined his life, despite his intelligence and drive.
- 21:24Researching deep government conspiracies takes a psychological toll, even when comedy lets you step away from it.
- 21:49Sexual scandals among celebrities are getting worse, not better—it's not just scraping the bottom of the barrel anymore.
- 22:11Tim on the contradiction of loving someone's comedy or show while they're also committing serious crimes.
- 22:37Mario Batali's actions went beyond groping unconscious women—he was making out with them, which Tim calls depraved.
- 23:13The cynicism required is recognizing you don't actually know any of these people.
- 23:30Enjoying someone's work or thinking they're funny doesn't mean they're a good person.
Mario BataliFrank OlsonWormwood
- 3 min
Mario Batali, Matt Lauer, and the Cult of Celebrity
#Tim rants about the depravity of Mario Batali's assault allegations and Matt Lauer's alleged office predation, then broadens into a critique of parasocial celebrity worship and how fans project goodness onto famous people they don't actually know.
6moments
- 23:40Tim notes that talent doesn't excuse violence—you can respect someone's work without getting emotionally invested in them as a person.
- 24:21Comedians are particularly fucked up because they have both the baseline human damage and a position of power to exploit.
- 24:52Making celebrities your heroes is an immature, childlike way of looking at the world rather than an adult one.
- 25:07When Tim was a tour guide in New York, women on his bus wanted to meet Matt Lauer, unaware of his harassment of NBC staff.
- 25:35The familiarity people feel from seeing a TV personality every day creates a false sense of connection and intimacy.
- 26:21Radio marked the first time people could feel familiar with someone they'd never actually met in person.
- 5 min
The Ron Bennington Turducken Script Pitch Story
#Ray recounts an embarrassing early-career story of driving to meet radio host Ron Bennington at a Thanksgiving event hoping to pitch him a mafia script he'd written, with Tim mercilessly picking apart how transparently thirsty and awkward the pitch attempt was.
9moments
- 27:06Tim explains his weird feeling about people with childlike obsessions over meeting famous people.
- 27:44Story: Tim and a friend went to Ron Bennington's Thanksgiving turducken event years ago with a script idea.
- 28:05They brought a script and asked Ron to maybe play a part in it.
- 28:44Tim was working at a camera store at the time, making minimal money and trying to get Ron into his film.
- 29:13Tim tried to convey to Ron how much he meant to him, which felt gross and performative in the moment.
- 29:49Ron was savvy enough to sense what Tim was doing from a mile away.
- 30:14Tim's script involved a mob boss and a pizzeria, possibly for Ron to star in.
- 30:44Tim tried pitching the same idea to multiple famous people, just asking them to be in his movie.
- 31:21No one approached Tim professionally—he was the one approaching them, which he sees as a mark of his effort and work.
Ron BenningtonCardinal Law
- 3 min
Fans Wanting Lunch and Parasocial Boundaries
#Tim and Ray joke about fans messaging them asking to get lunch, riffing on how strange and presumptuous that is, and reflect on how their own phone calls and friendship inform the show without needing extra 'realness' from meeting in person.
6moments
- 31:34Tim wrote a script about his boss and his son and gave it to Ron, calling it an opportunity for the big screen.
- 31:59The strategy of buttering someone up before pitching a script versus leading with the ask—Tim describes how his friend Ray opened with 'Will you be in my movie?' and got an immediate hostile reaction.
- 32:39Meeting famous people who are above your level is different from meeting colleagues; there's a distinction between being a fan and pursuing a professional relationship.
- 33:15Tim gets messages from fans asking to get lunch with him, which he explains won't work because listeners already get an hour with him every week on the show.
- 33:38Tim argues he's worse in person at lunch than on the podcast, so there's nothing to gain from a meet-up that people aren't already getting.
- 34:05Tim refuses to stop calling and talking to friends off-air just to make the show better, pushing back on the idea that he should only interact with people on-mic.
- 4 min
Looking Back at Old Episodes: Dana, Life in the Blood Box, and Titles
#They review the show's back catalog, recalling original co-host Dana, early episode titles like 'Life in the Blood Box' and 'Kiriyaku,' and joking about how the episode descriptions and titles are uniformly gloomy and undescriptive, plus a tangent about a factory harassment story and automation replacing human workers.
8moments
- 34:24The show's description from 2017 promised technical difficulties, wedding food, Hillary Clinton jokes, and mortgage stories—and that's basically still the entire format.
- 34:55Dana, the original co-host, had to be removed because she kept getting verbatious and involved, so they brought in Shannon instead.
- 35:32Tim defends making fun of Shannon on the podcast, noting she works at a podcast network and should expect the roasting.
- 35:59Discussion of widespread sexual harassment at a Ford plant involving both men and women with no corporate accountability.
- 36:28Tim wonders if companies will automate jobs with AI and robots to avoid sexual assault accusations and HR problems.
- 37:12Tim compares a hypothetical automated future with no jobs to Mad Max Australia, imagining people in trailers with nothing left.
- 37:34Episode 26, 'Life in the Blood Box,' came up in the retrospective of past shows.
- 38:24Kyrie Irving interview and Russ Baker's Trump-Russia investigation episode were called out as big episodes, though the Russia angle turned out to be fruitless.
- 3 min
Russ Baker's Trump-Russia Interview and the Mueller Investigation
#Tim discusses the Russ Baker interview about Trump and Russia, arguing the Mueller investigation seems fruitless so far, and rants about the tax bill doing nothing for working people while Wall Street and the donor class benefit.
8moments
- 38:33Tim says the Mueller investigation hasn't produced anything damning yet, though Manafort's been charged.
- 38:52The White House thinks Mueller's task force is full of Trump haters and Comey loyalists trying to railroad the president.
- 39:18Tim acknowledges the White House could also just be trying to limit its own culpability in whatever happened.
- 39:38Firing the FBI director was a mistake; they're skirting the rules and getting away with shit.
- 39:55Trump's populist campaign promises got co-opted by Wall Street and the donor class instead of reining in big money.
- 40:20Nobody's closing the carried interest loophole or actually reining in Wall Street, no matter who the president is.
- 40:38The tax bill raises taxes on independent contractors while cutting them for corporations—there's no rhyme or reason to it.
- 40:57Guys from Ohio and other places have quit touring because they can't afford to travel the country anymore under the new tax structure.
MuellerWall StreetDonald Trumpcarried interest loopholeComeyFBI
- 1 min
The One-Armed Crackhead Minister and Long Island Titles
#Quick recap of an old episode about a one-armed Long Island crackhead minister named Scott who punched a woman and kept appearing on recovery shows, plus more ribbing about the show's negative, undescriptive episode titles.
4moments
- 41:41Tim describes an episode about his dealings with a one-armed Long Island crackhead minister and a violent crackhead named Scott who punched a woman and went to jail.
- 41:59After Scott got out of jail, he was still using crack but would appear on recovery shows with Tim.
- 42:12The episode titles are not descriptive and are all negative and gloomy.
- 42:27Tim went to the Pizza Hut lunch buffet in Lindbrook, Long Island for one of the episodes.
- 1 min
The Pizza Hut Buffet in Lynbrook
#They recall visiting a grim Pizza Hut lunch buffet in Lynbrook, Long Island, describing the sparse, sad clientele including a woman with a diabetic boot and overweight scrub-wearing medical receptionists, plus Tim's own digestive issues with dairy.
3moments
- 42:37The Pizza Hut Buffet in Lynbrook had only two other customers: a poor family and a lady wearing a diabetic boot who was gearing up to eat like a pro.
- 42:50Long Island medical office receptionists wear scrubs but can weigh 400 pounds and look like death while checking patients in to see the doctor.
- 43:06Tim tried the pizza sauce and describes it as having glass mixed in, burning and tearing at his mouth.
- 7 min
Conspiracy Skepticism, America's Got Talent Delusions, and Comedy Grind
#Tim argues that understanding how institutions like the CIA operate matters more than proving any single conspiracy, then pivots into a rant about Long Island weekend-warrior comics who think reality-show tryouts like America's Got Talent will make them famous without putting in real work.
10moments
- 44:01Tim argues that proving conspiracies doesn't matter if people don't accept the basic framework of how power operates.
- 44:50Understanding how the CIA operates and tends to misinform shapes healthy skepticism without requiring constant paranoia.
- 45:26In the 1950s you could live in a bubble; now that the news is 24 hours and things aren't getting better, that comfort is impossible.
- 46:10Twitter activists want instant change but don't understand that major shifts have inertia and take a very long time to happen.
- 46:43Tim mocks Long Island comedians trying America's Got Talent with offensive material they think will work on network television.
- 47:17Devoting your life to comedy and honing your craft still leaves you at the mercy of lottery odds, best case scenario.
- 47:58People ask Tim who writes his material as if he has a writing staff, completely misunderstanding how comedy works.
- 48:34Most people chase America's Got Talent not for real career advancement but for something to mention at the dentist waiting room.
- 49:10Tim won't judge real comics trying any platform, but resents lazy weekend warriors who do nothing while others grind for stage time.
- 49:48Aspiring talent think getting on TV just means they can tell people they were on TV, without imagining anything beyond that moment.
- 4 min
Narcissism, Participation Trophies, and the Death of Expertise
#Tim argues kids today are taught they're irreplaceable and unique without earning perspective, contrasting that with old-school classically educated thinkers and 'I don't care' guys like Christopher Hitchens, then stresses the importance of fact-checking anything learned from the show.
9moments
- 50:15Tim brags about building things like his grandpa could build a church.
- 50:50Kids are told their feelings and views matter without having to learn or acquire real perspective.
- 51:15Old classical education and Jesuits who formed their worldview through rigorous study command respect.
- 51:34The guy who doesn't care is rare—only certain types can pull off laughing about their own ignorance.
- 52:17Hitchens paid his dues through institutions and earned genuine respect for accumulated knowledge.
- 52:29Different platforms and avenues have altered how knowledge is accessed and conveyed now.
- 52:49Look up sources when learning from the show—there's always more depth than fits in an hour.
- 53:16When the show shifts your mind on something, investigate it yourself and poke holes in it.
- 53:41If something here is illuminating, it's probably disturbing and paradigm-shifting.
- 4 min
Woodstock, Bethel, and the Dark History of the 60s
#Tim describes wandering around Woodstock, NY (clarifying the actual concert was in Bethel) and reflects on how the hippie era's romanticized image hides a darker reality of near social collapse, CIA involvement via MKUltra, and figures like Manson emerging from Laurel Canyon, citing the book 'Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon.'
10moments
- 53:56Tim recalls walking around Woodstock, New York and his history with psychedelics.
- 54:13The actual Woodstock concert happened in Bethel, not Woodstock—about an hour and a half away.
- 54:25Tim mocks tourists conflating Woodstock town with the concert, describing head shops and overpriced omelets at the diner.
- 54:47Many people romanticizing the era weren't even at the concert—they're children or grandchildren of that generation.
- 55:14Tim argues people don't realize how dark and unstable the 1960s actually were, how close the system came to total collapse.
- 55:46The interplay between hippies, the CIA's MKUltra experiments, and murderous cults like Manson's overlapped in that era.
- 56:11Dave McGowan's 'Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon' argues the CIA engineered much of the counterculture to discredit the legitimate anti-war movement.
- 56:35McGowan's thesis: the CIA pumped young hippies full of drugs, encouraged major musical acts, and used that generation as guinea pigs for experimental programs.
- 57:09Tim quotes Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas about the counterculture having something real, but realizing too late there was no way to overthrow the power structure.
- 57:28Whatever the movement had, it's now just nothing—watching those people pretend to recreate that era.
CIACharles MansonDave McGowan1960s countercultureFear and Loathing in Las VegasWeird Scenes Inside the CanyonHaight-AshburyLaurel Canyon+2 more
- 7 min
Aging Hippies, Drug Culture, and the Search for Enlightenment
#Tim and Ray discuss watching burnt-out former hippies now running diners and Airbnbs in Woodstock, reflecting on Tim's own drug past, how substances can become a master you serve, and whether psychedelics or spiritual practice actually deliver lasting enlightenment, tying back to the Wormwood son's hollow realization.
11moments
- 57:46Tim on aging hippies living in communes and how some turned out to be psychopaths and murderers.
- 58:18Tim's personal history with drugs and observing a young opener who doesn't understand the culture.
- 58:43Tim describes sitting in rooms with lava lamps and Hendrix posters getting high, years past any real meaning.
- 58:56Aging Woodstock-era diner workers have moved from acid to oxycodone and other harder drugs.
- 59:57Building your life around anything—money, sex, drugs—makes you a servant to an inhuman thing.
- 1:00:36Tim's cocaine, alcohol, pills, and weed once ran his life without his knowing he was taking orders from them.
- 1:00:51People conflate drug use with enlightenment and spiritual truth, but end up somewhere dark they can't return from.
- 1:01:58Story about the Dalai Lama allegedly being unaffected by acid because he was already enlightened.
- 1:02:54At Woodstock, New York, some aging hippies show a kind of darkness when drugs became their whole life.
- 1:03:58Making a room of 300 people laugh on stage brings no lasting happiness or peace—drugs won't find it either.
- 1:04:14Stand-up comedy also won't deliver the deeper peace everybody's actually searching for.
- 2 min
Spooning, Manager Mike Lawrence, and the Streaming Bubble Debate
#Tim jokes about spooning with his manager and recounts an argument between his manager (on the spectrum) and comic Mike Lawrence about whether there's a streaming content bubble, ending with a bizarre story about a comedian tracking his family and a missing prostitute via a phone app.
6moments
- 1:04:21Tim describes the appeal of spooning after sex with someone you care about, then mentions spooning with his manager Mike Lawrence.
- 1:04:43Tim notes that both Mike Lawrence and his manager are on the spectrum and compares watching them together.
- 1:04:54Mike Lawrence argues there will be a bust in Boston comedy because there's too much of it, and Tim agrees.
- 1:05:16Brian responds that there are more buyers for more things and more platforms, defending the streaming market.
- 1:05:28Tim recounts the argument that you can't name ten good shows on streaming, with Brad claiming they're all great.
- 1:05:48Tim gets frustrated with Brad during the conversation and decides to shut him up.
Mike LawrenceBoston comedy scene
- 1 min
Quick housekeeping about the upcoming Christmas episode with Dan St. Germain and vague joking promises about the show going in new directions in the new year.
3moments
- 1:06:31Christmas episode coming next week with Dan St. Germain, followed by a year-end episode in reverse order.
- 1:06:50Tim teases the podcast is shifting paradigms and heading into places unknown in the new year.
- 1:07:08Considering debuting a new theme song and working it into the show.
- 2 min
Tim runs through upcoming tour dates in Tampa, Boston, LA, and a holiday show in Brooklyn, plugs Legion of Skanks and Vice Sports episodes, and closes by joking about a viewer complaint regarding his lisp and neckbeard on Vice Sports before signing off.
8moments
- 1:07:39Tim announces upcoming tour dates: Side Splitters in Tampa January 4-7, Laugh Boston 18-20, and multiple LA shows including Kill Tony and Tony Hinchcliffe's podcast at the Comedy Cellar on January 15.
- 1:07:58He's leaving New York to escape construction noise and freezing weather outside his building.
- 1:08:09Raymond lists his own show schedule: Desire Bar, Mike Show Wednesday, and the Creek and the Cave on Saturday the 10th.
- 1:08:25Creek and the Cave live with Raymond show on the 22nd (or 23rd) will sell out; tickets should be purchased soon.
- 1:08:40A holiday-themed show at Jalopy in Brooklyn run by Jenny Sutton features Tim playing various comedy characters and elements, though his role keeps changing.
- 1:09:08New episodes of "That Happened" on Vice Sports are in production and ready to air.
- 1:09:30Tim responds to the neckbeard criticism by asking who else would talk about weird sports shit.
- 1:09:41Raymond jokes that Vice's hiring reasoning might be that Tim is the only one at the network who isn't a rapist.
Side SplittersComedy CellarLaugh BostonThe Creek and the CaveJalopyVice SportsJenny SuttonKill Tony