Hairy Butthole

This week, Youngmi touches on two topics suggested by listeners: comedy power dynamics and divorce. After a viral TikTok about the unspoken rule of comedy “Always Punch Up,” Youngmi discusses the nuances of power dynamics in comedy in relation to who she feels comfortable joking about. She also discusses how comedy helped her keep a level head in day-to-day life. In the second half of the episode, she brings up a common occurrence for people on the brink of divorce or the end of a relationship: limerence. 

This week, Youngmi discusses in depth the huge shift that occurred when she was 33, when she went from living life the way others wanted her to living life on her own terms. She talks about the depression, resentment and uncontrollable anger that used to be part of her daily life as someone who believed she wasn’t good enough and how she just realized those feelings are no longer part of her life.

This week, Youngmi introduces a new format. They’re addressing a new format focused on identity politics surrounding Asian American, biracial, single mom, and ex-drug addict topics. Things the listeners seem to identify with! Donate to Hairy Butthole Patreon or comment on socials to hear your topics of choice being discussed!

This week, Youngmi discusses getting a book deal and the unexpected sad feelings that came with achieving her most unattainable feeling dream.

This week Youngmi Mayer talks to Chani Lisbon (standup comedian) about growing up Orthodox Jewish. Chani talks about the first time she wore pants and rode in a car on the Sabbath and how far she's come since then. She discusses her history of alcoholism and recovery and leaving and returning to her faith. As a queer person who found acceptance from her mother and her community, she touches on how important it is for her to have a voice and give a new perspective on her community. She also discusses the psychologically damaging effects of alopecia.

This week, Youngmi discusses her relationship to work. After returning from vacation where she was riddled with guilt and shame about not doing enough, she reflects on the origins of that anxiety. She talks about being called lazy as a child, the belief that domestic labor isn’t valuable by society and the effects that late-stage capitalism has on all of us. She talks about how her own work is invisible to her, leading her to not realize that she is burning herself out. Also she discusses how she overcame her crippling fear of confrontation, with lots of...work.

This week Youngmi discusses her recent time in Thailand through the perspective of an Asian woman who is obsessed with race and gender politics. She talks about things that the typical white guy travel host would not be able to see and talks about why it’s harmful that travel content has been seen through one POV for the most of humanity. She talks about the influence of Korean culture in Southeast Asia, the politics of food safety, sex work and sex tourism and of course white people with dreads who live in Thailand.

This week, Youngmi talks to her son Mino Bowien (8-year-old, future YouTuber) about being separated for one month. This is the longest time Mino will be away from his mom since his birth eight years ago. He talks about being sad but also looking forward to spending a lot of time with his dad and his girlfriend and their new kitten, Screech. Also, Mino talks about how it’s embarrassing that Youngmi refers to herself as “mommy” and not “mom” (he asked to edit that out, but changed his mind afterwards and said it was ok to include it).

This week, Youngmi talks to Sameer Naseem (comedian, host of Halal Cartels podcast) about standup comedy. Sameer and Youngmi chat about their nontraditional processes as comedians and judging themselves for being different. Sameer also discusses the nuances of growing up with an immigrant father whose expression of love differed from the other dads in his community. Ultimately, both of them realize that different expressions of love cannot be quantified or judged as “better” or “worse.”

This week, Youngmi talks to Tulika Bose (journalist, documentarian) about her extremely talented father who was a respected Bollywood cinematographer before moving to the states. Tulika talks about his struggle to find work in his field, despite his immense talent and the correlation between legacy white people who get all the top jobs in her industry. She shares the emotional discovery of his cancer diagnosis, and the way that it has changed her family. Youngmi and Tulika also do a deep dive on recent movies and TV shows and discuss their faves and their not-so-faves.