“There are three things you can’t fake: 1. Fighting, 2. Sex, and 3. Comedy.” (Tweet It)

- Bryan Callen

Alright, this may be the funniest episode yet.

Bryan Callen is a world-class comic and prolific actor. He travels the globe performing stand-up comedy for sold-out audiences, and — in his spare time — regularly appears on shows like Frasier, Entourage, Law & Order, CSI, Sex and the City, Oz, The King of Queens, and How I Met Your Mother.

Bryan is also INCREDIBLY well read.  Don’t miss the show notes and links below.

In this episode, we delve into the craft of comedy, fixing education (or shortcuts within it), habits and tricks for boosting creativity, writing, and the general pursuit of excellence.

And, of course, eating corgis…

Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download it as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”.

This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.

This episode is also brought to you by ExOfficio, which I’ve personally used since 2005 or so. They make ultra-lightweight, quick drying, antimicrobial clothing for men and women. Here’s my own ultra-light packing list (scroll down for video), which went viral.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Who are your 2-3 favorite comedians? What style or traits make them memorable? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Enjoy!

And PLEASE — Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review here. They’re very important and keep me going.

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Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Bryan: Website | Twitter
Warrior with Bryan Callen
Comedian – Documentary on the craft of comedy
The Fighter and the Kid – Podcast with Bryan and UFC Heavyweight, Brendan Schaub
QuestBridge.org – Leverage your support for high-achieving, low-income students
Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz
1000 Years of Solitude & Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Art of Learning (On Audio) by Josh Waitzkin (My interview with Josh is here)
The Somerset Collection
The Symposium and Dialogues by Plato
Dying Every Day by James Romm
Bryan’s favorite Twitter: Taking Hayek Seriously
Fed Up – A documentary about the food industry
Bad Science & Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre
Nutritional Science Initiative – The Manhattan Project of nutrition (I advise)
Fiasco by Thomas E. Ricks
Hardcore History – Specifically, Wrath of the Khans
The Looming Tower & Going Clear by Lawrence Wright
Jazz & Baseball – documentaries by Ken Burns
If This Is a Man & The Truce by Primo Levi

Show Notes

How Bryan Callen and Tim Ferriss started dating [9:45]
On fighting, sex, and comedy [10:50]
How to create a long-term career in comedy [11:45]
On public education [15:45]
Bryan Callen’s creative process [23:45]
Comics who inspire Bryan [34:05]
Bryan’s first great performance [36:50]
How Bryan Callen developed his appetite for reading [42:05]
Bryan Callen’s first paid gig [47:30]
Rapid fire questions: Pilsner, aged wine, politics, pit bulls, hunting, originality, and eating corgis [01:04:45]

People Mentioned

Niel Brennan
Joe Rogan
Keith Ferrazzi
Travis Kalanick
Brendan Schaub
Hunter Maats
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Ernest Hemingway
Flannery O’Connor
Fiona Apple
Harry Connick Jr.
Steven Wright
Mitch Hedberg
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Dov Davidoff
Sebastian Maniscalco
Tom Segura
Bret Ernst
Ayn Rand
Friedrich Nietzsche
Joseph Campbell
Joshua Waitzkin
Steve Jobs
Lawrence Wright
Ken Burns
Primo Levi
David Blaine