Episode 425 · The Studio Revamp
Bad Friends | The Tim Dillon Show #425
Jan 11, 2025 · 1:18:03 · 1,600,000 views · 26 segments, 166 moments indexed
Tim sits down with Bobby Lee & Andrew Santino to discuss the Golden Globes, the film 'A Complete Unknown', the anniversary of January 6th, and the disastrous Korean airplane crash that left Pudding the Dog without a family.
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- 4 min
Optimus Prime Sunglasses and Vegas Bakarat Musings
#Tim shows off expensive Balenciaga sunglasses bought in Vegas, leading to a riff on styles of Asians in Vegas, gambling habits (bakarat vs. mahjong), and Norm Macdonald gambling stories.
9moments
- Tim bought Optimus Prime sunglasses in Las Vegas that fog up completely.
- Andrew Santino explains what kind of Asian he is based on fashion choices.
- The fashionable Asians in Vegas wear big coats like The Nutcracker.
- Tim's Balenciaga sunglasses cost $1,600.
- Nicki Glazer has tiger mom work ethic and does five sets a night sometimes.
- Tim's strategy: do fewer sets so you can blame the writers instead of yourself.
- Baccarat is the best odds in the casino at 50-50 odds.
- Both Tim and Andrew always bet Banker at baccarat.
- Bobby Lee can't gamble because he's an addict and could get trapped.
Andrew SantinoBad Friends PodcastGolden GlovesNicki GlazerBalenciaga
- 4 min
Bobby Lee and Andrew discuss getting VIP treatment (or not) at restaurants like Boiling Crab and Ocean Prime, arguing about needing restaurant contacts versus pure celebrity energy.
8moments
- Norm MacDonald allegedly demanded payment in casino chips instead of straight pay.
- Tim worked the back door at a club in the late '90s when a comedian called him 'Ching' — not racist, money-related.
- The comedian took Tim to Vegas as good luck and lost $850,000 in 12 hours, then didn't talk to him for three years.
- At the LAX gate, the comedian lit a cigarette unprompted, doing whatever he wanted because he had celebrity power.
- Those days of unchecked celebrity freedom are gone; you'll see that shift reflected in tonight's Golden Globes.
- Tim's date took him to Boiling Crab in Hollywood, and Tim's been taking selfies there for years while the corporate account thanks him for the publicity.
- Despite all the selfies and clout, Tim still had to wait an hour and a half at Boiling Crab even though everyone recognized him in the lobby.
- Having a personal contact at the restaurant is the actual requirement to avoid the wait — clout and selfies don't cut it.
Norm MacDonaldBoiling CrabPublic EnemyJennifer AnistonTilda Swinton
- 2 min
Andrew recounts a fancy Idaho restaurant refusing to host them entirely, contrasted with places that treat them well, leading into Ocean Prime and celebrity sightings like LaToya Jackson.
6moments
- Tim argues Bobby shouldn't say he'll wait 45 minutes at a restaurant, since that's functionally the same as waiting an hour and a half.
- A fancy restaurant in Idaho refused to host Tim and Bobby, telling them they didn't even want them in the building.
- Tim notes it's odd the Idaho restaurant banned them, but clarifies the staff simply didn't care to host them — a distinction that at least makes their position clear.
- Some restaurants call the show with gratitude and ask Tim to bring his crew in late; others are outright hostile depending on their sense of humor.
- Ocean Prime treats Tim like VIP, a status he claims comes with sitting next to LaToya Jackson and eating shrimp cocktail in the afternoon.
- Tim lists his favorite LA restaurant hangouts: Nancy Silverton's place on Melrose and Highland, the Fountain Room at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and the Polo Lounge.
LaToya JacksonOcean PrimePolo Lounge
- 3 min
They joke about Bobby Lee's weight loss on Wegovy/Zepbound-type drugs giving him a new bullying confidence, plus the wild vomiting side effects during an early promo shoot.
6moments
- Bobby's newfound confidence from Wegovy has given him the swagger of a high school bully.
- Tim jokes about Bobby wanting to put people in lockers and give them wedgies now that he's lost weight.
- Tim takes the bully bit too far, suggesting he'd pick Bobby up upside down and stick his head in a toilet.
- Tim blames Wegovy's side effects from the Netherlands for his sudden mean streak and lack of filter.
- Bobby experienced severe vomiting on the initial Ozempic, throwing up continuously for 30 to 40 seconds during a promo shoot.
- Tim compares Bobby's vomiting side effects to the opening of Santa Clarita Diet, where the protagonist becomes a zombie.
- 6 min
The trio discuss Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan film, Austin Butler's Elvis, a Graceland visit where Bobby got recognized more than Austin Butler, and stories of actors' careers suddenly flipping.
10moments
- A Complete Unknown is a great movie with a fantastic performance by the young lead actor playing Bob Dylan.
- Monica Barbaro, who was on Splitting Up Together, went on to land a major role in Maverick and has become a huge star.
- An actress who was barely featured as a waitress on a show Tim worked on has since exploded in popularity, appearing on Ginny & Georgia and becoming a major success story.
- Lady Gaga's film career appears to be over, with Tim suggesting that being on set with him is a career death sentence.
- Tim's take: A Complete Unknown star looks genuinely good on screen as Bob Dylan, delivering a performance that surpasses other recent music biopics like Ramy Malek's Queen film.
- A tour guide at Graceland admitted she didn't recognize Tim or his crew, but noted that Austin Butler had also visited and was similarly unrecognized, making Tim feel good.
- Seventeen blocks have been closed off around the venue for the Golden Globes, which Tim finds excessive and jokes is overkill for a secondary award show.
- Hosting the Golden Globes is a notoriously tough and weird gig, as demonstrated by past comedians like Kimmel who struggled with it.
- A buddy of Tim's overheard a casual conversation on the Chicago subway where someone explained their friend's death as simply a dispute, delivered with unsettling calm.
- Joe Rogan will be hosting and roasting at the 2025 Golden Globes ceremony.
Monica BarbaroBob DylanA Complete UnknownGolden GlobesAustin ButlerBrendan GleesonSoul Train Awards
- 2 min
They mock the excessive street closures for the Golden Globes, discuss Joe Koy's infamous rough hosting performance, and riff on hypothetical awards shows they'd rather host, including the Asian Excellence Awards.
6moments
- Joe Koy bombing at the Golden Globes and roasting Amelia Perez
- Tim wouldn't want to host award shows because he has no business in that industry
- TCH Awards and AutoZone would make better hosting opportunities than the Golden Globes
- Tim hosted the Asian Excellence Awards twice
- Asian Excellence Awards held at Mr. Chow's on Beverly with Aquafina sponsorship
- Tarantino and Danny DeVito showed up to the Asian Excellence Awards as honorary participants
Joe KoyAmelia PerezRalph Macchio
- 1 min
Bobby recalls dressing as the shot CEO for the Netflix live roast special, and discussing turning down further Netflix specials.
4moments
- Tim participated in a Netflix roast that was an abomination but fun, roasting the year rather than people.
- Tim agreed to do the roast only if Netflix let him dress up like the CEO who got shot, expecting them to refuse.
- Netflix actually approved the costume bit, forcing Tim to follow through on his bluff.
- Tim notes he was doing Hulu stuff at the same time and felt weird about the Netflix commitment, though they would have done a special if asked.
- 2 min
They discuss Jeff beating cancer and learning that Eddie Pepitone secretly had and beat colon cancer, leading to a brief reflection on mortality and gratitude, then pivot to the Jeju Air plane crash.
6moments
- Jeff announced he has cancer, but he's already beaten it.
- Eddie Pepitone revealed two weeks ago at a party that he had colon cancer and got rid of it.
- Tim debates whether he should have mentioned Eddie's cancer, deciding it's fine because Eddie never said not to talk about it.
- Tim explains why people don't stay grateful after brushes with death: the human condition makes you petty and small-minded because you can't think about big things all the time.
- Discussion shifts to a Korean aircraft crash that went off the runway into a building—Jeju Air, not Korean Air.
- Tim asks his co-host seriously if they knew anyone on the plane, suggesting the chances are high.
Eddie PepitoneJeju Air
- 1 min
Tim reads a sponsored ad for the Ibotta cash-back app, describing how to earn money on everyday purchases with code TIM.
1moment
- Ibotta ad read: cashback app for groceries, home essentials, and purchases at major retailers like Lowe's, Sephora, and Best Buy.
- 2 min
Tim reads a sponsored ad for Acorns, an automatic saving and investing app, touting easy investment starting with spare change.
5moments
- New Year's resolutions: everyone makes them, but only 8% of people actually stick with them all year long.
- Tim on the reality of big goals: we all say we're going to cook at home or save money, but it never actually happens.
- The world is actively trying to spend your money through streaming apps, delivery fees, and self-checkout tips.
- You don't need to be rich to invest—Acorns lets you start with just $5 or your spare change.
- Tim's ordering preference at a restaurant: when asked if he wants the special or more money, he picks more money every time.
Acorns
- 4 min
Pudding the Dog and the Jeju Air Crash Coverage
#The group discusses blaming a wall for the Jeju Air crash, an iconic photo of a burning Cybertruck outside Trump Tower, and the viral story of Pudding the dog whose family died in the crash, joking darkly about the dog's fate and media exploitation.
5moments
- Authorities blamed the airport wall for the Jeju Air crash instead of the plane malfunction.
- Tim argues the burning Cybertruck outside Trump Tower is the best photograph of 2025.
- A dog named Pudding lost nine family members on the crashed flight and was left waiting at the airport.
- Media outlets published a sympathetic story about Pudding to drive adoption interest after the tragedy.
- The journalists who wrote the Pudding story had no actual intention of helping the dog.
People magazineCyber TruckTrump TowerIsrael-Palestine conflict
- 4 min
Korean Mourning Customs and Airport Tent Cities
#A riff on how Koreans mourn versus other cultures, joking about tent cities set up at the airport for grieving families, lawsuits, and dark humor about compensation and lawyers.
11moments
- Tim asks how Koreans mourn their dead and whether they have wakes like the Irish.
- He requests a demonstration of a Korean funeral dance.
- Bobby says Asians have emotions and tear ducts just like white people do.
- Tim's therapist says he obsesses over how people mourn.
- Korean families camped at the airport after a plane crash, staying there overnight.
- Koreans care about the remains more than white people do, according to Tim.
- First-class passengers don't want to walk through tents of crying people on their way to the plane.
- Families camping at the airport hoping to find remains like a toe from the crash.
- Tim watches footage of airline staff naming the deceased while bereaved relatives yelp in the background, repeatedly.
- Bereaved people in tents yelling at desk agents demanding free drinks on the next flight.
- All joking aside, this situation is genuinely awful for the families who have to sit in tents.
Korean AirKorea
- 3 min
Air Travel Anxiety and Recent Landing Gear Crashes
#Discussion shifts to the danger of airplane landings versus cruising altitude, recent Boeing issues, and a friend's harrowing near-crash story flying Amsterdam to London.
10moments
- Tim doesn't understand why crash victims aren't immediately hiring lawyers instead of gathering in tents.
- Korean companies pay out crash settlements automatically because it's built into their culture, unlike American litigation.
- Air travel has gotten worse and Tim predicted it years ago.
- Landing gear failures and crashes have spiked recently, with two December 2024 incidents involving the same issue.
- Landing is actually the most dangerous part of the flight, not takeoff or cruising.
- Tim noticed pilots are visibly working and stressed during landing while they're relaxed during the rest of the flight.
- Tim experienced a terrifying 33-minute Amsterdam-to-London flight in a small jet that couldn't land and had to divert to Birmingham.
- The pilot told Tim that in 23 years of flying, very few landings had been worse than that one—pilots always downplay danger.
- Tim has done touch-and-go landings in Vegas, where high heat makes landing harder and requires immediate takeoff again.
- Tim hated the Vegas touch-and-go landing experience so much that passengers were immediately calling loved ones goodbye.
air travelBoeingSam TalonMorgan and Morgan
- 1 min
Tim and the guests share personal stories of scary landings, touch-and-go maneuvers in Vegas, and how people mentally cope during scary flight moments.
4moments
- Tim describes a harrowing landing during a storm, uncertain whether the plane would make the runway.
- During turbulent landings, he stays mentally engaged rooting for the pilot rather than accepting his potential fate.
- Tim blames recent turbulence on Boeing problems and whistleblower deaths affecting pilot safety.
- Tim shifts away from airplane anxiety to discuss Gladiator 2 and Denzel Washington's performance.
- 3 min
January 6 as a High School Party Gone Wild
#Tim compares the January 6 Capitol riot to a high school party that got out of hand with Trump as the popular quarterback egging it on, and speculates about a Day One pardon.
9moments
- The Order is a movie about white supremacists, a Jewish radio DJ assassination, and heists that led to their downfall.
- Tim's take on January 6: it was like a high school party that got out of hand, not a coup.
- You can't do a coup in costume hats with props—the kids from the other high school just got a little wild.
- Trump was like the quarterback egging it on without fully knowing, telling everyone it was their night to make a mark and have fun.
- Teachers said these kids were sweet and quiet, but tonight was the night to show them what they're really capable of.
- Jake Angelli, the QAnon Shaman, would help break a window if Tim was doing it without knowing what was going on.
- Tim recounts a friend falling through a screen door and destroying his parents' property, which was somehow funny.
- Everyone's in a field having fun and it's getting wild, like those parties where you regret it the next day and can't believe what happened.
- Trump will pardon the January 6 people in prison on day one—it's not hard to do, just a pen signature.
January 6Donald TrumpMar MarinThe OrderNancy Pelosi
- 3 min
They joke about the 'Justice for All' song recorded by January 6 prisoners and Trump, followed by a played news clip about Trump's vengeance rhetoric and the Mike Pence hanging chants.
9moments
- Tim wants to hear the January 6 prison choir song recorded by Donald Trump and the incarcerated January 6 defendants.
- News segment contrasts Lincoln's appeal to 'better angels' during Civil War with Trump's promise to be an agent of vengeance at CPAC.
- Trump at CPAC claims people want to lynch him for doing a great job, despite not actually being lynched after losing the election.
- The irony: Trump had a vice president being hunted by a mob he encouraged, and reportedly said maybe Pence should be hung when told of the chants.
- After hearing the January 6 choir perform the national anthem, Tim calls it beautiful and suggests Diplo could make a beat out of it.
- Tim says it's a regrettable day and everyone he knows who was there feels sad about it.
- The January 6 defendant describes getting inside the Capitol offices, claiming everyone Tim grew up with is like that guy.
- Tim notes January 6 is a great story to tell—the guy is on TikTok Live right now recording from inside the Capitol.
- Tim asks if the January 6 defendant has a katana or sword and wants to know what's on the desk behind him.
January 6Donald TrumpMike PenceAbraham LincolnDiploMark Meadows
- 1 min
Jacob Chansley the QAnon Shaman's Desk and TikTok Persona
#Riffing on the January 6 Shaman's desk setup, his tongue, and how well-spoken some rioters sound in interviews despite their bizarre actions.
3moments
- Tim critiques the nation's loss of fun, pointing to the Capitol riot as proof people still want to have a good time.
- He compares the riot to childhood pranks—egging houses, toilet-papering, throwing fruit off overpasses—framing it as harmless mischief.
- Interviews with Capitol rioters reveal they're surprisingly articulate and reasonable despite their insane behavior.
- 1 min
Tim reads a sponsored ad for Nutrafol hair growth supplements, citing clinical study results and a discount code.
4moments
- Tim pitches Nutrafol hair growth supplements, citing friends whose hair has regrown and thanking him for the recommendation.
- Nutrafol is physician-formulated with drug-free ingredients and reports no compromised sexual performance in users.
- Clinical study shows 84% of men experienced hair improvement after six months on Nutrafol.
- Nutrafol is offering listeners $10 off first month and free shipping with promo code TTIM at nutrafol.com/men.
- 1 min
Tim reads a sponsored ad for PrizePicks sports betting app, covering flex plays, payouts, and a promo code for signup bonuses.
- 4 min
They debate whether to attend Trump's inauguration, joke about a JD Vance album listening party invite, and recall faking COVID tests to bail on a benefit show together.
9moments
- Tim's hesitant about attending the inauguration, concerned about security and potential chaos.
- JD Vance supposedly invited Tim to a listening party for an album he's putting out.
- Security will be unbelievable through the roof, with concerns about who might cause problems—foreign actors, crazy people, not just liberals.
- Presidents give out the Medal of Honor and other awards—Tim explores what he'd need to do to get one.
- Biden's awkward photo giving the Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton, and Magic Johnson's reluctant expression.
- The Marine standing guard isn't even watching Biden clasp the medal between his shaky hands, deliberately looking away.
- Tim and Bobby did a benefit show together, and then both suddenly canceled using the same COVID excuse.
- Tim claims he told the organizers he had COVID before Bobby did, stealing Bobby's excuse first.
- The benefit show asked people to send in COVID tests as proof, which Tim doesn't believe either of them actually had.
JD VanceMagic JohnsonHillary ClintonJimmy CarterBobby LeeEllen DeGeneresRob SchneiderBourbon Street
- 7 min
Extended riff on Armie Hammer starting a podcast and reinventing his image post-scandal, his family's massive generational wealth versus Kevin Spacey's newer money troubles, and fantasy of both moving to Austin.
9moments
- Armie Hammer is doing a podcast and planning a tour.
- Tim explains Hammer is now playing a role, trying different scripts—drama versus comedy—to figure out his comeback.
- Discussion of whether Hammer's podcast tour is a way to get back into movies.
- Armand Hammer was Hammer's great-grandfather, an industrialist with connections to the Soviet Union and Lenin.
- Tim sympathizes with Hammer's need to frame his situation—choosing between serious redemption and comedic dismissal.
- Supposedly Hammer had financial issues, but Tim doesn't believe it given his generational wealth.
- Hammer's family history includes accusations of killing and sexual abuse spanning generations.
- Tim wants to have Hammer on the show to eat ribs together.
- Alec Baldwin told Tim after his scandal that he should be on David Geffen's yacht in Nice instead of dealing with his legal problems.
Armie HammerKevin SpaceyAlec BaldwinArmand HammerYour Mom's House
- 2 min
They discuss Sebastian Maniscalco's quiet, business-like demeanor backstage at the Improv compared to their own goofball personas, contrasting who is 'business' versus who is not.
5moments
- Tim won't move to Austin despite loving some people there, calls the city's recruitment efforts cultish.
- Someone has to stay in New York to disgust Sebastian Maniscalco when he walks into The Improv.
- Tim met Sebastian early and loves him, compares him to a brother.
- Sebastian's success comes from being all business in the room, focused on working bits rather than socializing.
- Tim admits he and his friends are fuck-ups in comedy clubs, wasting time on tangents instead of being professional.
- 2 min
They joke about how stressful appearing on Joe Rogan's podcast is compared to this one, and fantasize about getting a Medal of Freedom or an Emmy pinned by a president.
4moments
- Tim says if he cut every joke that didn't work on Rogan, the show would be nine minutes long, seven of which would be Rogan telling him not to eat flour.
- Rogan calls out bad jokes in real time instead of letting them go, which frustrates Tim even though it happens to everyone.
- Tim describes Rogan's podcast as the most stressful show he's ever done, compared to how nervousness felt for Carson's Tonight Show.
- Tim jokes that Rogan's podcast is his Golden Gloves on the way to getting to the Golden Globes.
- 6 min
They discuss self-financing a new R-rated game show pilot, and go deep on the euphemisms agents and casting use ('in the mix,' 'pin in you,' 'different direction') to soften rejection, plus Whitney's sitcom audition snub story.
11moments
- Tim and his team are shooting a pilot for a game show they financed and created themselves, modeled after Eric André's format.
- The business side of Hollywood keeps forcing them to make their own projects because dealing with studios and networks becomes impossible.
- Tim explains the Hollywood terminology: being "in the mix" or getting "pinned" means absolutely nothing and changes overnight.
- The casting process works by first getting a callback saying you're "in the mix," then the language shifts to mean you're a backup option.
- Tim describes being a last resort: they're negotiating with someone better and you're the reserve they'll call if that falls through.
- When rejected, agents never say "they don't want you" directly—instead they claim "they're moving in a different direction."
- Agents are spineless and will flip-flop based on whatever the actor says, like a real estate agent mirroring a buyer's concerns about a property.
- Tim was called in for an audition on Whitney Cummings' sitcom for a part they'd already cast, conducted by a woman with an iPhone in a storage room.
- Tim prefers when producers reject him upfront rather than pretend to care; phony interest is worse than honest rejection.
- The worst offer is when you show up on set and realize the producers are concerned about your performance, watching from village video with worry.
- He appreciates the scene in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood where DiCaprio's character rips on himself for forgetting a line because it felt authentically real to his own experience.
Once Upon a Time in HollywoodEric Andre ShowWhitney CummingsDiCaprioBorderlandsVillage video
- 2 min
Movie talk turns to Nosferatu, criticizing its bleak tone and casting choices while praising Lily-Rose Depp, and questioning whether vampirism is still a scary premise today.
6moments
- Tim's verdict on Nosferatu: too dark, not scary enough, lacking camp and fun.
- Casting Lemmy from Motörhead as Nosferatu makes no sense—he's not scary at all.
- Lily-Rose Depp steals the movie and saves it.
- The vampire premise isn't scary anymore because most people actually want to get bitten and live forever.
- Everyone's already living in a vampiric world—walk down Melrose and you see a bunch of vampires.
- Tim's favorite William Dafoe scene is from Boondock Saints where he's cuddling in bed with another man, one of the funniest scenes of all time.
Lily Rose DeppNosferatuWillem DafoeThe Boondock SaintsNicholas Holt
- 3 min
They watch and riff on a Willem Dafoe Boondock Saints clip, joke about remaking the cuddling scene together, and end with a lighthearted debate about attractiveness across races before signing off.
6moments
- Tim and Andrew should remake the Boondock Saints cuddling scene together.
- If they didn't know each other and were working at The Abbey, would Andrew hit on Tim?
- Andrew would probably get Tim's attention only because he's white.
- Tim pushes back on the idea that he'd need to be "insanely hot" to be attractive.
- Discussion of what Tim's job would be at The Abbey—cleaning the poles while people dance.
- Tim concedes Andrew's point about attractiveness, admitting he was wrong.