Aren't We Special

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys planned to record from Lee’s fishing boat, but outboard motor trouble took a big old dump on that plan. Instead, they hang out in the backyard with wet feet and talk about guitar comedy—how it used to be considered “hack,” and whether that’s still true.

They briefly touch on the cultural construct of time, then Aaron tells the story of an unruly, cute old-man heckler at a recent show and why situations like that can be tricky to navigate. Finally, they dive into Anthony Jeselnik’s Bones and All, available on Netflix.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about Lee catching a surprise set from Angine de Poitrine at Montreal’s Osheaga Music Festival, Finn Wolfhard, and why popular artists sometimes hate playing their biggest hits—and why they probably should anyway. Then they dive into Jeff Arcuri’s breakout Netflix special, Nice To Meet You.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about a random series of events that leads Aaron into a transaction with one of Lee’s oldest friends on the other side of the province. They talk briefly about guitar pedals, playing guitar, and the value of taking lessons. They discuss how weird it is when people actually listen to the podcast, Lee touches on side jobs and getting old, before diving into the hilarious special Hello from Ismo, available on YouTube from 800 Pound Gorilla.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys go hiking! A bit of a mix-up meeting at the trail brings on some welcomed ’90s nostalgia about driving around looking for your friend. Lee talks about his experience at the Yuk Yuk’s Mike MacDonald Summer Comedy Competition and what it takes to stand out in a big lineup of comics. They talk about combining music with stand-up before diving into John Mulaney’s Netflix special Baby J.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about podcast production, Lee sounds off about a bad experience trying to start a new open mic, and the effects of AI-generated posters on the human condition. They talk about how young people these days seem to be freaked out by the great outdoors and whether the secret to a long, happy life might be immersing yourself in art with the people you love—before landing on Louis C.K.’s hot new Netflix special Ridiculous.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about cats, peanut butter, sweet vs. salty snacks, and bread. Lee explains how pitching badly in softball is a lot like bombing on stage, and how getting so angry at work that you just go home is sometimes the only reasonable solution. They get into real estate and the economy, circle back to cats for a while, and eventually make their way to Rosebud Baker’s Netflix special The Mother Lode.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about serial killers, the Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct, and how immersive true crime has become in the age of social media. Aaron talks about his Friday night hosting gig at Yuk Yuk's Ottawa, Lee tries crowd work for the first time, Aaron takes a major detour, and Lee gets skunked on a fishing trip—before diving into the controversial new special Man of the People by Tony Hinchcliffe, available on Netflix.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about nicknames, Jordan Jensen hosting Marc Maron on her podcast RIP, starting a new open mic, texting vs. direct phone-call etiquette, flipping off the establishment, leaving a strange footprint, how music and art can replace lost culture, and the possible revival of punk rock—before diving into Fahim Anwar's hilarious special Intrusive Thoughts, available on YouTube.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about their busy summer schedules, Lee's trip to Canada's Wonderland, boating (legally and safely, of course), waterpark shenanigans, and karaoke fails—before diving into Sheng Wang's fantastic special Purple on Netflix.

This week on Aren’t We Special, the guys talk about the simple joy of wearing a short-sleeved button-up and the misery of wearing khakis. Aaron hires a music teacher so he can hang out in his shed, while the guys touch briefly on music theory, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, ChatGPT, asses, side jobs, and Lee's new van—before stumbling into Hannibal Buress' Miami Nights, available on YouTube.