The Mental Illness Happy Hour
By Paul Gilmartin
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Podcast Description
Named one of the Top Ten Podcasts of 2011 by The Onion's A.V. Club, this show is a weekly conversation between a guest and comedian/host Paul Gilmartin, focusing on the battles we have in our heads and the damage we feel. From medically diagnosed conditions to everyday compulsive negative thinking. Not the doctor's office. More like a waiting room that hopefully doesn't suck. Email Paul at mentalpod@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 818-574-7177. Visit the website www.mentalpod.com. There you can join the forum, take a survey, see how other people responded to the survey, buy a t-shirt, or support the show with a paypal donation. You can also support the show by the Amazon search box on our homepage. That way Amazon gives us a couple nickels if you buy something. And of course a good Itunes rating is always appreciated!
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 |
ExplicitNikki Glaser | The standup comedian (Last Comic Standing, The Tonight Show) and podcaster (You Had to Be There) opens up about hitting bottom with anorexia as a teen, only to discover ten years later, her food issues haven't disappeared. She and Paul talk about self-medicating, caring too much about what other people think, avoiding painful truths, and the difficult road to self-acceptance. | 2/24/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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2 |
ExplicitJesse Perez | The former East L.A. gang member has been dodging bullets for years - sometimes literally sometimes figuratively. Though he walked away from his criminal ways years ago, he opens up about the mindset that made that life seem like a good choice, the high that comes from being shot at, dealing with tragedy, finding God and what it felt like to be a Chicano in 1970's Los Angeles. | 2/17/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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3 |
ExplicitRu (last name withheld) | Paul's friend Ru stops by to talk about the deep-rooted fear she has of men abandoning her. From her absentee Air Force dad to her broken poet boyfriend living in a storage shelter, she reveals the painful choices she has made to try to get men to stay - sleeping with Gene Simmons and chasing Tommy Lee - and the humiliation by peers that almost killed her. We talk about the damage of labeling girls as "s**ts". Plus some great listener suveys, especially one about not knowing what constitues sex abuse. How can you not listen to an episode involving Gene Simmons and Albert Einstein? | 2/10/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
4 |
ExplicitMark Teich | The actor/ singer/ comedian is best known for performing musical comedy with Stephen Lynch, most notably selling out Carnegie Hall in 2009. What most people don't know is that Mark was diagnosed at age eleven with scleroderma, a crippling, often fatal disease. He has beaten the odds but denying the pain and fear associated with it left him with a coping mechanism just as insidious - an addiction to lying. Mark can be seen on the show A.N.T. Farm on the Disney Channel. | 2/3/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
5 |
ExplicitRonnie Schiller | She was named Ronnie at birth by her bipolar mother who cared so little, she chose the name of the baby's father. It goes downhill from there. Though her story is incredibly dark, it's ultimately one of resilience, humor and insight into mental illness and how to cope with being bipolar on a daily basis. Ronnie is the author of several books, including Mother's House Payment. | 1/27/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
6 |
ExplicitMike Schmidt | The writer, stand-up and pocaster (The 40 Year-Old Boy Podcast) and Paul get into the ins and outs of rage and its tempting oblivion, Mike's weight battles (he tipped the scales at 505 lbs at one point), his Dad issues (Mom described him as a Monster) and what makes even the most aggressive of males freeze in their tracks. | 1/20/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
7 |
ExplicitMeghan Daum | The L.A. Times columnist talks with Paul about growing up and later rebelling in a household where music and academia were everything. She talks about the pressure of starting a writing career in Manhattan and living a real-life Devil Wears Prada nightmare, where the idea of even living in a rundown building in a bohemian neighborhood became unattainable. They talk about the epiphany of realizing her dreams were shallow, materialistic and unattainable, her move to Nebraska and the perspective and novel (The Quality of Life Report) that resulted. A great episode for people who have a critical inner voice that never shuts up. Meghan has written for The New Yorker, Harper's and Vogue and has contributed to This American Life. | 1/13/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
8 |
ExplicitRob Delaney | Twitter superstar Rob Delaney opens up to Paul about his hilariously horrifying alcoholic bottom, his crushing bouts of depression and how he has adapted to live with what might have killed most people. How can you resist a story that involves nuns, toothbrushes and jail? | 1/6/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
9 |
ExplicitErin Whitehead | Which came first the hypochondria or the condition? The improvisor/actor (UCB Theatre Los Angeles) talks to Paul about the pain of losing her father at five and the plethora of physical pains she experiences that may or may not be self-induced. They also compare stories about what else? Anxiety over their g*******a. And the fear of not mattering. | 12/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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10 |
ExplicitMartin Willis | Martin's southern Maine family has been dealing in antiques for decades. Not to mention pent-up rage and mental illness. The podcaster/painter/antique-appraiser who lent Paul a helping hand when he was getting this podcast off the ground opens up about what it took to stop the cycle of fathers unleashing their anger on their sons. | 12/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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11 |
ExplicitAlison Rosen | Writer, performer, t.v. host and sidekick on the Adam Carolla podcast, Alison has a life filled with successes. So why can't she feel it? Why can't she relax and enjoy her life? Mammoth lies tiptoed around in childhood? Growing up overweight? Never being able to say the right thing at the right time? Lots of good honest talk about relationships, parents and how to say what you mean. | 12/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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12 |
ExplicitMike Eagle | Not many rappers list They Might Be Giants as their primary musical influence. But Mike, who performs as "Open Mike Eagle" isn't like most rappers. Labelled as Art Rap by the L.A. Times, Mike's songs are thoughtful, wry and uncompromising. He opens up about the struggle to fit in at a school for gifted children, the uncertainty of familial love in an unstable home, and the need to discuss the mental effects history has had on African Americans. | 12/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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13 |
ExplicitLia McCord | What happens when a naiive Texas cheerleader from an abusive home tries to pay for college by smuggling heroin in Bangladesh? Probably not what you think. Though her story has been seen on National Geographic's Locked Up Abroad, it only scratched the surface of who she was and who she has become. | 12/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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14 |
ExplicitDoug Benson | The standup comedian, star of Super High Me, co-creator of The Marijuanalogues and host of The Benson Interruption and Doug Loves Movies stops by to talk about his history with Paul, pot, parents and heartbreak. And of course the special role that movies play in his life, especially in dealing with his sometimes smothering, worry-filled mother. | 11/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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15 |
ExplicitKarma (last name withheld) | How do you cope when you are convinced your life is constantly in danger as a child? First, you band together with your siblings and form an army, then you learn about the sweet oblivion of addiciton. Paul's friend Karma witholds her last name and picture so she can fully reveal the family life that nearly killed her, but ultimately forced her to grow. A fairly heavy interview so Paul throws in a little something after the interview to hopefully make you laugh. | 11/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
16 |
ExplicitPaul F. Tompkins | The talented stand-up comedian, podcaster (Pod F. Tompkast) and writer/actor (HBO's Mr. Show) talks about the role therapy played in helping him turn his pain and rejection into being a happier person and a better artist. He opens up about the shame of having parents who didn't find him funny or necessarily interesting, and the beauty of being given a second chance by a peer who was ready to write him off for his past bitterness. A bitterness fueled by unrequited, irrational love. Holy s**t, this sounds Shakespearean! | 11/11/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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17 |
ExplicitMike Phirman | His mom has been married 8 times, his father 4. How's that for a good place to start? In addition to performing with Chris Hardwick as the comedy/music duo Hard n' Phirm, Mike also performs solo. He's really talented and also really nice. Really, really nice. That's right. Full on people pleaser. Mike and Paul get into the fear of disappointing loved ones, strangers and fans. Also a little post interview excerpt from the great Ram Dass, regarding a man and a dolphin that will move you to tears or creep you out. Or both. | 11/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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18 |
ExplicitAlycia Schlesinger | Even though Alycia has a Masters in Spiritual Psychology, her raw experience in a chaotic home has been the "gift" that has really allowed her to understand the dynamics of her own self-hatred, fear, and low self-esteem. She shares how facing that pain allowed for the eventual transformation to it being an experience that gives her life purpose. An especially powerful episode (for Paul at least) as Alycia played a part in one of the most transformative days in his life. They also discuss Victor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning and John Bradshaw's book Healing the Shame that Binds You. | 10/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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19 |
ExplicitNathan Rabin | The author, cinephile and head writer of The Onion's A.V. Club talks with Paul about his deeply painful childhood and a seemingly endless series of rejection. Foster homes, mental institutions, kidnapping by a mother who ultimately had no interest in him and a fear-off that includes a phrase we may never hear again: "I'm afraid I ruined Weird Al's Easter." | 10/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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20 |
ExplicitKulap Vilaysack | You've seen her on The Office and I Love You Man, and you've heard her as the co-host of the podcast Who Charted? Kulap talks about her chaotic upbringing by immigrant Laotian parents and the battle today to overcome the memories that haunt her. They discuss her involvment in a little known therapy called the Grinberg Method and what she does today to find peace. | 10/13/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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21 |
ExplicitEddie Pepitone | People may know Eddie from The Sarah Silverman Program, Old School, Conan, and Last Comic Standing. Paul knows Eddie as a friend and fellow performer able to talk about the darkness he grew up with and the crippling angst that still bothers him. | 10/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
22 |
ExplicitTeresa Strasser | Adam Carolla's former sidekick comes guns blazing to the fear-off. Holy s**t she brings it. This one gets dark. From her being vanquished by a stepmother at age 3 to seriously considering suicide earlier in the year. Touching and funny. She is also the author of the critically-acclaimed pregnancy memoir Exploiting My Baby. Paul made a mistake when he uploaded the first version of this interview. Though an editing error, a reference to another female guest (with a book), sounded like Paul was talking about Teresa. Hopefully this version clears that up! Apologies to T for the mixup. | 9/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
23 |
ExplicitHank Adams | Prostitution, alcoholism, fetishes, swinging, abandonment and being stabbed by a bayonet. Handyman Hank Adams has experienced them all. Paul's friend has to literally pause to count how many stepdads he has had. | 9/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
24 |
ExplicitPaula Newman | Part-time actor, friend and meditation teacher talks with Paul about her life being profoundly affected by her painful English upbringing, Hitler and Back to the Future. They also discuss the importance of Vedic meditation and the Body Ecology Diet. | 9/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
25 |
ExplicitGreg Cheever Part 2/2 | Greg's story continues with more heroin-fueled mishaps that affect strangers, Robert Redford, Mary Poppins and others. His life on the edge takes him to the brink of death. | 9/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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26 |
ExplicitGreg Cheever Part 1/2 | Former fugitive, ex-con drug dealer, heroin addict 60's hippie, divorced four times, what's not to love? He's a close friend of Paul's and has so many stories, we had to do our first two-parter. | 9/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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27 |
ExplicitBeth Littleford | The former Daily Show correspondent, tv and movie actress, wife and mom talks about postpartum depression, a childhood tragedy, and not liking her boobs being touched, possibly because of a relative. Paul muses on his recent wet dreams. Ick. | 8/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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28 |
ExplicitStephen Mancuso | Make-up artist, former Broadway dancer, as well as Paul's friend and co-worker, Stephen talks about surviving an abusive upbringing, the pain of being gay in a homophobic household, the impact of AIDS on NYC in the 80's, and finding his voice. | 8/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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29 |
ExplicitFrank Conniff | Try to guess how Frank (Mystery Science Theater 3000, Cinematic Titanic) and Paul manage to delve into: Toots Shor, Nikita Kruschev, crippling depressions, drunk driving, collpsed buildings, social anxiety, spiritual satellites and Ed McMahon's cock! | 8/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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30 |
ExplicitGina Grad | Radio & Podcasting personality Gina Grad talks with Paul about her Pink Floyd-like panic attacks, growing up in a loud Jewish family in conservative Kansas, and they both weigh in on the repercussions of having sex when one person is not that into it. | 8/5/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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31 |
ExplicitLawyer Tom | Tom, a Stanford-educated lawyer, gets honest about his need to push the limit, his fears and the night he almost died from his addiction. | 7/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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32 |
ExplicitLisa Arch | Paul's former co-host from Dinner and a Movie reveals her fears, insecurities and gratitude for her late father. Laughter, tears and and self-loathing, what more could you ask for? | 7/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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33 |
ExplicitJesse & Lee Thorn | Broadcaster Jesse Thorn and his father Lee discuss the impact Lee's PTSD has had on them both. Lee served in Vietnam. Jesse is the host/producer of The Sound of Young America, Jordan Jessie Go!, Judge John Hodgman, and many other popular podcasts and shows on public radio and cable t.v. | 7/15/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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34 |
ExplicitDanielle Koenig | Paul and Danielle talk about the desire to minimize painful memories, feeling like we're not enough, writing for Joan Rivers, suicide and the lasting feeling of humiliation. And believe it or not, there's laughter! | 7/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
35 |
ExplicitJimmy Dore | Comedian Jimmy Dore talks to Paul about growing up Catholic in a violent and segregated Chicago neighborhood with 11 siblings. Who knew that attending mass could lead to depression, panic attacks, fistfights, robbery and an empty feeling following success? | 7/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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36 |
ExplicitWendy Liebman | Comedian Wendy Liebman opens up to Paul about anorexia, p*******e teachers, exploitive therapists, the need to entertain and perfectionism. Oh, and some good old-fashioned fear! Wendy has appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, HBO, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and Comedy Central Presents. | 6/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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37 |
ExplicitMark Roberts | Paul talks with Mark Roberts, former stand-up, playwright and creator of the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly about growing up in a dysfunctional small-town Baptist environment as an overweight kid and the role art plays in finding a way to cope. | 6/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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38 |
ExplicitJen Kirkman | Jen Kirkman (Chelsea Lately, Drunk History) and Paul have an epic "Fear Off" that leaves both of their souls emptied. Jen shares about her panic attacks and what it was like to be in New York on 9/11. Paul shares about the horror of being in an earthquake. They talk about the odd beauty that humans are capable of in horrible circumstances. | 6/10/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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39 |
ExplicitGreg Behrendt | Greg talks about his roller coaster ride to fame and then losing it all. He and Paul have the first "Fear Off" where they swap fears until one of them comes up blank. Of course they talk about their p***ses. And girls. And comedy. And surgery. Bet you didn't know as a child Greg had an eye patch and ate off a stool with his hands taped to his sides. | 6/3/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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40 |
ExplicitChris Fairbanks | Stand-up Comedian, Skateboarder and co-host of Fuel T.V.'s The Daily Habit, Chris Fairbanks talks with Paul about his mother's battle with alcoholism, Alzheimer's and Dementia and its effect on him growing up and today. They talk about the link between pain and creativity, peer acceptance, dark voices in their heads and they both share chilling stories about dead people. | 5/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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41 |
ExplicitAnnabelle Gurwitch | They talk about Annabelle's chaotic upbringing and their seven years together as co-hosts on TBS' Dinner and a Movie. They talk about how much they hated each other and how their depression and anxiety fueled it. Annabelle talks about the loneliness she felt when all she cared about what show business. She dishes on what a dick Paul can be to work with, and the pain she went through being fired by TBS and Woody Allen. | 5/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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42 |
ExplicitGraham Elwood | Paul talks with fellow comedian, long-time friend and alpha male Graham Elwood about depressing fall days from their childhoods in the midwest! They open up about divorce, unhappy moms, being too competitive and finding a way to be at peace. | 5/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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43 |
ExplicitTyler Smith | Paul talks with avowed Christian and movie podcaster Tyler Smith about his recent diagnosis of depression. Paul questions his own prejudice towards organized religion. An inappropriate incest joke makes things nice and uncomfortable. Probably too much talk about God, but there it is so go f**k yourself. | 5/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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44 |
ExplicitJimmy Pardo | Comedian Jimmy Pardo appears for the first time as a guest. They bust each others balls then get down to the business of being funny, and the pain and anxiety underneath it. Note: The audio was accidentally mixed for stereo, and some people find it a little annoying. Apologies. | 4/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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45 |
ExplicitGrey DeLisle | Paul interviews Grey DeLisle, one of the most in-demand VO (voice over) actors in Hollywood. She's the voice of Daphne on Scooby Doo, Azula on Avatar: The Last Airbender. They talk about pervy relatives, her date with a pervy celebrity, and breaking the cycle of bad parenting. | 4/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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46 |
ExplicitEx-Con Murph | Paul interviews "Murph", a retired serial felon who opens up about prison, the guilt of his crimes and leaving it all behind. Six years ago you might have labeled him a psychopath. Paul calls him a trusted friend. | 4/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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47 |
ExplicitAdam Carolla | Adam opens up about his living with a condition called Hypervigilance, being raised in a joyless environment, getting out of ruts, Adam's book and Hitler! | 4/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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48 |
ExplicitMarc Maron | Paul interviews fellow comedian and friend Marc Maron. Subjects include: God, the universe, suicide, and the night Paul had to listen to Marc get it on. | 4/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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49 |
ExplicitJanet Varney | Paul interviews his Dinner and a Movie co-host Janet Varney about her battles with anxiety, depression food and panic attacks. Listen as one people-pleaser interviews another! Enjoy Janet parrying a compliment coming her way! En garde! | 3/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 49 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
You're not alone.
I listened to the first two episodes of this podcast today, and it's really a godsend for anyone dealing with any psychological problems. There's a lot of honest discussion from Paul and his guest that can be helpful for those afraid to take the first step to getting any kind of help. Experiental advice is the easiest sort to receive when you feel like you're the only one who has some sort of problem and there's nothing you can do to fix it.
Nice dashes of comedy here and there as well - Paul and his guests can't help from being funny.
Great Podcast!
What a great idea with in depth interviews about an issue seldom spoken about. Paul Gilmartin is a great comedian who has suffered with depression & addiction and come out on the other side and beaten the odds. His quest with his website and podcast is to help those in need to have a place that they can visit, share, discuss and not be alone.
The podcasts are far from morose and glum, they are fun and very insightful.
Two thumbs all the way up!
This podcast is a lifesaver.
I gave this show a shot because I like to listen to comedians talk about serious things, but I didn't anticipate the impact it would have on me. I've suffered from depression and anxiety for about as long as I can remember, and had pretty well convinced myself that I would always feel this way. But listening to so many successful, talented people talk about what they've been through has made me realize that the things I thought were character flaws are really just symptoms, and that there's a way out from under them. If you're feeling alone and hopeless, or if someone in your life is suffering and you don't understand why, this is a show for you.
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- Category: Self-Help
- Language: English
- Copyright © The Mental Illness Happy Hour 2011
