GedO'Halloran

Hi everyone on the forums. I am not good at following conversations on internet forums, and I'm no where near as funny as all of you guys seem to be, so I don't contribute to the forums much. That's not sarcasm, i have heard all of the call in shows from RSS and HH days, and you all seem to be really funny. But, i consider myself part of the forum-family, even though of only posted a few times. Perhaps the honesty and effort that went into those posts, i thought, might make up for my lack of frequency. I accept that comes with the obligatory "you seem fun", or "hey Ged, you ok man?" callbacks. But fuck it, its important to me, so I'm going to see it that way anyway. I have just started running through the Reality Show Show playlist for the hundreth time. Sean and Hayes have had such a huge impact on my life, i am not sure why or how, but listening to how their minds work, and being apart of the type of conversation they have, has helped me retain my sanity at many times in my life over the past years. If its not "blowing the joke", well even if it is because i'd love to know, i would love to understand how and why this is, if anyone has genuine insight into this. So thank you Sean and Hayes. I would love to know if one of the reasons you've kept up with what you have created for us each week? To help certain types of people in this way? If it is... does it deserve a bigger thank you? I'm not sure, part of me thinks it would, would it? Its on my bucket list to come over from Australia to say thanks in person. And much love and respect for the HH and RSS forum community. I can't do a joke to finish the post guys, im sorry, like i said, im not funny. But I can do callbacks. "A little bit of fish!" One of the times you guys really busst Sean and Hayes shit right up on air.

Amazing show. Its always seemed to me that Sean and Hayes are in their element when "going after" a guest. Usually its a good friend of theirs they are ripping into, or a guest who have pissed them off in some way, maybe by cancelling at the last minute several times before the show they actually made it to. These shows seem to be the funniest. There are a few episodes where they turn that style of wit on themselves, and those episodes are just as brilliantly funny too. Like the episode where Sean is making fun of how he tries to impress people he's at dinner with by commenting on how many pages the menu has, because its the one piece of information about resturants that he knows to make him sound smart, that he heard on a Gordon Ramsy reality show. On Who Charted Hayes was able to employ that style of humour, but in a more kind, supportive, and even nurturing way. Which worked amazingly well. The risk with this style of humour is that it can come off a bit mean, because Sean and Hayes are so usually much more intelligent, sharp, and insightful, than the guests. But on Who Charted there was no possibility of this happening because of the light hearted, positive, and especially open minded, nature of the two hosts. They are not know-it-alls, they are aware that they have their own quirks, and they seem genuinely interested in learning and bettering themselves. And of course, Kulap has been developing that nurturing/supportive vibe of the show for a very long time. Howard even commented during the show on how Hayes became like his dad. It was very sweet and extremely funny. It worked great. One of the best podcasts i have ever heard. I reccomend all Hollywood Handbook fans check it out. Also, the Reality Show Show was one of the best pieces of comedic content ever made. And the only reasons it was not more popular must be due to the limitations of podcasts being a new medium, and the fact that the show was, comedicially, ahead of its time. And not because people didn't like Sean and Hayes' personalities, like Hayes mentioned on the Who Charted episode. In the future people will listen to the RSS and give it the appreciation it deserves... that is... if this Howl bullshit dies and people CAN actually listen to it...

Reality Show Show is one of the funniest, and comedically brilliant pieces of content ever made. The fact that it was not far more popular is probably because it was ahead of its time in its consistent comedic brilliance. It should be put back on, and this time appreciated for its genius and advertised/supported much better from Earwolf. Also X-Men are great and Silver Surfer is one of the best ones and is number one on PS4 and Xbox 1.

New Hollywood Handbook. And its live. I just had a PODGASM!

I'm so happy to see this!! I can't wait to listen! Its like a podcast supernova! Holy shit!

Will, turn east, and drive for several weeks. Make sure its an aqua-car because you will have to drive over the ocean, because i live in Australia. Do not bring any pets though, we will tell them to bugger off and then try to murder them. Like we did to Johnny Depp's damn yankee dogs. I agree that the script part was really good. It really seems that the boys are in their element when the person they are talking to is on the back foot. Like when Hayes' daughter was on the back foot during that script segment. For example, the best HH recently was the one where there was a woman who didn't turn up a few times who was a guest. They were ripping into her, or just teasing her a bit, and they were really funny. Just like when they rip into the shitty sound engineers who are all shit i think. Reminds me of the Reality Show Show days, where they were AMAZING when making fun of the dopes on the reality shows, or their guests when they were their good friends. When they don't have an "adversary" they tend to go into a mode where they are sort of making fun of themselves by pretending to be very dumb. This is ok, and its better when they there is an actual Hollywood person or Archetype they are taking the piss out of (Aussy slang meaning "making fun of"). But its not nearly as good as when they are using their wit to make fun of an actual person in the room, especially if that person takes themselves very seriously. This was why the Live Show of HH was so good. They brought up random people out of the audience and created that adversarial relationship with them. This was interesting as they were taking the piss out of the audience member for their suggestions and whatever they were saying, but also at the same time they were doing it from the persona of the "Hollywood Dummy" which is a kind of piss take of themselves as they are acting dumb and overly arrogant. For as much as the boys talk about being "nice" and having a "nice" podcast... i think they really need to find guests or people (like Reality Show contestants) which whom they can legitimately make fun of.

I listen on my laptop. But it is backwards because of the Rob Corddry effect.

I am also a fan from Australia! Omg wtf!!! And i agree with what you said WayneJ. And yes they also seem nice. Very nice, in fact so nice i think that if i came over to LA we would become best friends.

Hollywood Handbook is the best podcast these days. No one is better at podcast than Sean and Hayes. Full stop. Drop the mic. Oops sorry, right. Poetry.

Hey guys, Russell Brand has taken his comedy and talents in an interesting new direction this past year or so. A different type of stand up show called "Messiah Complex", and different type of book called "Revolution", and a very popular new youtube channel called "The Trews; News if the news was true". Seems to be doing quite well. Not as funny as you two though. Thought you guys might be interested.

I have expressed as, not only my own personal preference, but added to that objective explanation, as to why Sean and Hayes are so great as podcasters, comedians, and simply human minds. I must admit that i added a few jokes and silly lines to try and make such posts funny. Perhaps because it is so unusual to express such honest insight in public, or perhaps due to my own personal beliefs of my inadequacy that mitigates the validity or significance of my own thoughts. Whether it was a response to my own self deprecating humour, or a response to the comments themselves; i was met with only chastisement. From the forum community (except for a couple of people to whom i send my gratitude ) but particularly, and most influentially, from Sean and Hayes themselves. It was on the last episode of Reality Show Show that they mispronounced my name and Hayes laughed as he said i was their biggest fan and thanked me for liking them so much. The message of which being that i was doing something funny, and not honest, or true. But, in spite of that i want to express that again. And add to that, that the premise of Hollywood Handbook has lasted as long as it can and should. You boys did a great job. Really really good. You elevated so many "successful" people in show business to a higher level, And the dynamic between Hayes and Sean as "the host" and the "colour" has developed to a higher level (excuse my terms, im guessing at the actual terms because im not in show biz and i am not aware of what these two roles are usually referred to as). And these things you have shown, to all those that can and would listen, to be such that you can elevate even those which the slightest natural talent to higher levels than they have participated or been in. How one wants to encapsulate what "higher" specifically refers to (level of comedy, level of entertainment, level of mind itself, or a combination of these) is for another conversation. Whatever it is it has been shown. And i don't know what more can be shown in the medium of this podcast theme. That is to say, more honestly, that i think that there is no more to show. Plato explains in The Republic that, to reach its ideal state, the soul/mind must have its parts unified. All parts of the soul must be alighted and serving this highest part of the soul. And he constructed a State to illustrate the parts and how to best align them. Only then can the soul be made most Just or Excellent, and therefore receptive to the divine. The divine that allows for the ability for the mind to connect with itself completely and experience itself as pure Beauty and the Divine Light of Pure Being, which according to Plato makes life worth living. But also that which brings Art to the soul. That is to say, that which brings the highest participation in excellence of the skill one is interested in doing. Which, for Sean and Hayes, would be comedy, or something akin. As an aside; I use Plato's explanation because it adds intellectual weight to my words, as he is considered the "Father of Western Though", and i am just some podcast forum poster. And, i do not think the things i do about Sean and Hayes because of a religious or cultish affinity to the works of Plato, but because his explanations and metaphors seem to best encapsulate what i see for myself, whist being an author known for his genuine spiritual insight into the nature of mind and reality. Hollywood Handbook is missing one of the parts. Perhaps it is the role represented metaphorically as the Warrior class, I'm not sure. It is missing from this podcast's theme. I think it is because the initial impetus or drive comes not from something deep and intrinsic to the minds of Sean and Hayes, but instead from the celebrity guest. In the Reality Show Show this was there as they both had a deep interest in reality shows. Which is why that podcast was so great. Comedically excellent. I would really love to see a new, third, podcast that takes its initial premise from something that the boys share a real, authentic, deep, passion for. If its Reality Shows again, hey I'll take it. And maybe i am hoping for something that i shouldn't. Maybe i'm being selfish to hope, and ask, for such a thing. And maybe i will be made fun of, either because of my own ignorance or because of the personal beliefs and inadequacies of Sean and Hayes that prevents them from accepting such things about themselves. Maybe they will get mad and say that we are not friends, and i have no right to challenge them in such a way. To push them to push themselves. To encourage them to seek a participation in something higher that would require themselves to open themselves up in ways that usually don't happen for the everyday person. Only a good friend, who knows them, and knows their struggles with work and other such things, should have the right to suggest such a thing. And they would be right i suppose... i don't know how i could argue against that. Such sentiments sure sound true, and polite. I could not argue against them. And yet still... The request is there. For minds such as yours, the possibilities of such an endeavor, well they are beyond me and yet very exciting as well. I really hope you take at least some of this to heart. Even though i'm just one random listening on the other side of the world... im still one person who can see what is there. Something that perhaps you both know, at some level, is there too. But is too uncomfortable to talk about. But that is your Art. To talk about it. And we who listen will benefit. And over the period of Hollywood Handbook you have proven that you have the comedic skills to deal with any uncomfortable moment that should arise in this new mode of speaking for you. Because you have shown, to us and to yourselves, that you can do so because you have done so with dealing with the uncomfortable improv of your guests. So talk. You have shown it will be ok. And i will thank you.

Great show! Fantastic, this podcast works so well with a live crowd. I would love to hear more live podcasts! Imagine how great the story about the radical teenage pope would have been in front of a live audience! And i still cant get over Hayes' line. Guest: I was living the American dream in London. Hayes: Kinda like a werewolf nightmare. So good.

Well said Delino. Or apply their humor to things they have a genuine, serious, interest in. I agree it's a risk. But part of me would love to hear what would happen if minds like theirs took that risk. However, that being said, the last episode they did in front of a live crowd was exceptional. This podcast works very well with a live crowd.

Thanks Chanson and Skizelo. If Sean and Hayes were not actually comedy geniuses my post about them would sound like one of those crazy five star reviews they read at the end of How Did This Get Made, and I would be like one of the weirdos they make fun of. But they are, so I'm not. ;-)

Thank you Game of Scones. I'm fascinated in how there are some minds able to see through patterns of behaviour to get an insight into the root or seed idea that underlies it all. To see such things that the people themselves cannot see, and, obviously if they are rich and famous, other people around them cannot see either. I love the humour that comes from expressing these insights. Like exaggerating the implications of that "seed" like in the story about the guy going to the public library to wipe his ass with his oscars. Going along with that seed and making statements that one would hear from that type of person... but because they say it with a bit of a silly voice, or with super earnestness, it points out the absurdity or flaws of that point of view. Are there other ways of expressing such insights into the nature of a behaviour, person, or idea, in a way that makes it funny, other than these? Im sure there are, i would love to hear about others! The other thing that comes up for me is a bit of fear. If these types of minds, like the Hollywood Handbook boys have, can see with such clarity into the behaviour or thinking of people who are very successful... there must be a ton of things that i take for granted myself and are part of my self and world view that look equally as transparently false or flawed to them. The fear is that i could have my self and world view so easily shattered and made fun of, and not only that, but made fun of in a way that is really funny to everyone and makes a lot of people laugh... which adds a hell of a lot of power into it. Because not only is a fundamental unseen flaw being pointed out... but people are laughing at me for having that flaw... and not only are people laughing at me for having that flaw but A LOT of people are laughing at me for being the way i am because the person expressing that fault is an expert comedian and very funny. Which, i imagine, would be soul crushing. And im not even a successful hollywood bigshot, im just some guy, so i bet there are a ton of such flaws in my self and world view. The only thing that gives me comfort is reminding myself that i have a genuine interest in addressing and removing any false beliefs about my self and the world that i may have, in the interest of personal and spiritual growth. And, should such a mind point out such a flaw i have; i am interested in further dialogue about this flaw so i may learn and change. And if the person who did point out such a thing about myself, in such an insightful and funny way, are not interested in further conversation about this flaw, in the interest of understanding and learning from this insight... then that is a flaw in them that is far greater than any flaw i might have pointed out about myself. And i can feel ok that, even though i have flaws, i still have the highest virtue of the desire to participate in reason... which is the thing that allows one to address and remove one's flaws and develop as a person and a soul.

I really enjoy your show. I would like to know, when you do a "day in the life" of some hollywood person, or similar segments where you talk about a hollywood person's life or beliefs; is it true? Are the main points that you illustrate in these segments genuine and what you believe? Thanks for the great show!

Hello Sean and Hayes, Been a while since i posted on the forums, but i wanted to say that i thought the segment this week where you guys were commenting on itunes reviews was fantastic. Funny as shit. Funny because those people who don't think you guys are funny are dopes. I have noticed that the desire to accommodate your guests in a certain way, perhaps wanting them to feel comfortable making by putting yourselves down (or lower) and/or giving them the lead and control of the the flow of the conversation, seems to be limiting the full expression of your abilities. You two are funnier than any of your guests, even guests that are talented in many ways like Andy Daly. As such i would prefer to hear you "inviting them up" to your level instead. Or rather, having your own vision, having the confidence to hold that vision, and inviting your guests to participate, instead of lowering yourselves to their vision and comedic ability. There seems to be a discrepancy between your ridiculous comedic talent, and your self image when you have guests on your show that might play into this dynamic. Of course you both can play good supporting characters to your guests, and you can match their level well, and even raise their game a notch or two, but honestly the listener misses out when you adopt that role instead of completely taking the lead. Remember in the Reality Show Show when you felt like you were the experts and could make fun of your guests understanding of Reality Shows, or push on ahead with your ideas even if your guests didn't really know what was going on because of their limited understanding of the shows? That brought the funny. It was not mean to be the expert and recognise your superiority, it was funny, and you could tell the guests all had heaps of fun too. Those are my thoughts, and thanks heaps for the shows! You guys are freakin geniuses.

Yea I see what your saying about writer friends on the RSS show, but the are using the seriousness or the earnestness or the attempts at being meaningful of reality show contestants (or hosts) as the " straight man". And sometimes it was the genuine love of certain shows that the writer guests have that is the meaningful. It's like, if a child just says rude sounding words no one cares. That's not comedy, it's just silliness. And if you make fun of a child for being silly... none cares, because it's just a silly kid. But make fun of someone MEANINGFUL who is trying to be SERIOUS like a political figure then that goes into a stand up routine. There has got to be stakes. Writers making fun of themselves and being silly about everything because they don't really care about the "industry" does not provide that. You just end up with sarcasm upon sarcasm. If comedy is "speaking truth to power", then you need the "power". If comedy is "social sanctions against inflexible behaviour", then you need the "inflexible". If comedy is "only surprise" like Sean has said on the show, then you need the "earnest" before they can surprise people with their sarcasm. Otherwise it's sarcasm upon sarcasm and there its no comedy, only silliness. I was hoping the boys would talk about real existential things, things that are the MOST meaningful because they have a rare combination of the unusual intelligence required to contemplate such topics and the masterful wit that would be able to look at such topics in interesting, disarming, insightful, (or even just "surprising") ways. No one else is as funny as these two, but who comes close? Joe Rogan has a popular podcast. And he invites as guests people that challenge him intellectually while he constantly tries to address the most meaningful. Bill Burr is funnier than Joe, and he too tries his best to talk about the most meaningful things as he sees it. Banking and political conspiracies, the history of mankind, and he even tries to give people advice on his show and help them. Now Bill is not a smart man, self admittedly, but he tries his best. And neither is Joe compared to Sean and Hayes. But bless their hearts they are trying anyway. And it's both funny and engaging, and they have two of the most successful podcasts out there. Sean and Hayes are both funnier and smarter than those guys. Which is why I would love to see what would happen if they went that way. Think about it, even when the "meaningful" element to their comedy was arguably the objectively LEAST meaningful thing there is (reality shows) they created comedy gold. They created one of the funniest shows ever. Imagine what sort of next level genius comedy they will create if the "meaningful" element became MORE meaningful, or if they pushed the boundaries of the MOST meaningful! Sadly they went the opposite way with HH, but if they didn't... can you imagine?? Comedy Mecca. I hope this doesn't sound ungrateful, I'm VERY grateful for the shows the boys do. They are brilliant and possibly the best podcasts made so far. I just see in them the potential to do much more. A unique set of talents, and a unique pairing of two with these unique talents, in a unique time of history where they can share this with the whole world. Is it just dumb luck that these unique things happened the way they did? Just coincidence? Nothing providential or intelligible behind the design of the universe and the destiny of man? Even if that is what you think... just unique coincidence, it does not change the fact that its there now. It is there now, and there are people like me who await to see what Sean and Hayes do with it.

I am thankful to everyone who agrees that RSS should come back. I was not expecting such an overwhelming show of support. When you keep in mind that for every person posting on the forum there are probably hundreds thinking the same thing but don't have the time or computer skills to post, then one can see how many people are really wanting the show to return! I think that even Sean and Hayes might be taken aback by the way the public is demanding their return. They might be getting brought to tears maybe. For it is a wondrous sight to see the flood of support for the RSS. It is truly a Christmas miracle. Unless OcterDoctopus is correct and Sean and Hayes are too scared to return.

Sean and Hayes are comic geniuses. RSS worked well because they got to deal with "regular" people and not writers and other comedians who are also trying to be funny. They will not be as funny as Sean and Hayes. The guest on the second last episode of RSS was, for that one episode, the one where they all became friends and went to brunch, but that's it. With these " Hollywood insiders" there is far too much irony. There is nothing real so the funny gets lost. :-( There is no straight man, no one taking themselves seriously or trying to do something actually meaningful, there are no stakes... and therefore the true comedic talent of the boys cannot come forth. On the old show it was the reality show contestants, or guests from shows, or prize money from shows, or the real fans ( including Sean and Hayes) that added the meaningful or serious and the stakes. I have listened to the RSS thru several times. I don't like Reality Shows, but I like that the boys like them. And I love hearing them talk about them! I miss the good old days where everything was scary, Aziz Ansari was discussed at length for some reason, and amongst the consistently AMAZING comedy the boys would get genuinely excited or moved by something they watched. That doesn't seem to happen on this new show. Highlights for me were when Sean said " nice dunking Bryan" to Kobe Bryant, and when Hayes imagined Randy Jackson auditioning for his job on Idol and America's Best Dance troupe and they looked at his name and said "Randy Jackson... like the Jacksons?" and Randy looked at them and said "Oh". Classic. Comedy Genius. Please make more RSS. You can still make HH too for Scott Anchorman, but make more RSS also for the fans! And for future generations when everyone realises your genius and discovers the show! And for comedy's sake. Lots of good reasons why you should do it. Heaps of reasons.

While some of us look at the people paraded in front of the public as "stars", "famous", and apparently aspirational figures, and cringe or cry but cannot properly explain why, these boys do the job for us. Their unusual intelligence and extraodinary sense of humour allows them to point out exactly what is wrong with these people with not only great insight and clarity, but delivered in a way that will leave all but the very blackest of souls constantly laughing. To illuminate ignorance or harmful behaviour is an important asset to both the individual mind and humanity itself, but to do so in a comedic way... which brings understanding with a smile... is quite literally the pinnacle of noble human endeavor. It is humour and comedic talent that distinguishes the Seans and Heyeses from the Richard Dawkinses and Peter Josephes of the world. There have been many great teachers of the world, and it is all too common to see these gurus trying to inject comedy into their lectures. In fact there is a whole school of traditional spirituality based around the "koan" or sharing of a kind of "spiritual joke" that is supposed to help a student experience Satori or enlightenment when he finally "gets it" after focusing his attention on it for long periods of time. Almost always these wise men fail at comedy, and likewise comedians fail at apprehending and sharing wisdom... but the unique style of these boys' comedy lends me to think that perhaps they, for whatever reason, are blessed with both the intelligence and comedic wit that is needed to deliver both wisdom and humour together. Also very curious is that they have found each other, two unique talents together, and lucky for humanity they have a medium through which they can communicate with the world. While poking fun at reality shows, which have become a central focus of mass western culture, and the "talent" that populates them, has provided illumination for some and catharsis for others... perhaps it is good that they are creating a new show. Im looking forward to what it may be, and am eager to see what they come up with. Reality shows held their interest, perhaps because of the inherent comedic drama of these ridiculous shows, and that became this podcast. I wonder what it is that will spark these boy's attention and focus for the next show. To stay in theme with this post, Reality Shows and their participants held their attention because of comedy... another thing that holds human interest is "meaning". What one finds meaningful. Could it be that this is the impetus for their next show? Meaning? What they consider most meaningful in their lives, or life itself? I personally hope so. However in saying this there is a large part of me that is upset that this show is ending. I was in both the insight and catharsis category of listener as i was learning about the industry and human behaviour (usually how NOT to act) as well as gaining both relief and enjoyment from listening to these great men making fun of all the people on Reality Shows are being shoved into my face by almost every other form of media which do so while exclaiming how pretty and happy and rich and famous and better then you they are. Tell me again 50 different magazines how many millions of dollars Kardashian got paid for her wedding photos, or how i can do my makeup to be as beautiful as Paris Hilton, while i struggle to find the money to pay for the store brand milk and bread at my local supermarket! Hearing two good men, among the greatest (for reasons i have just explained), tear these people down, and doing so in such a light, happy, ego-less, kind hearted, and fuckin funny way; really brought me joy. I will miss the show. If i were greedy i would ask the boys to do BOTH shows each week... Great job Sean Clements and Heyes Davenport, cant wait to hear your next podcast! And big thanks for the shout out on the last episode! (Ged is pronounced "Jed"... some people say it the way you did with the hard G if they read it. Not sure if you knew that or not... i have heard you reading commercials so i cant really tell if you knew that already)

YES! The boys talked about how people listen to their show, hear the caliber of comedy genius, and then ask "...how?". And then people comment on the consistency of which they are able to output comedy at such a high standard. I signed up to this forum a couple of weeks ago just so i could make those two exact comments! These guys are far and away the funniest and best commedy minds on the internet. I am constantly amazed, and often shocked, by how funny these two are... and by how EVERYTHING is so good. There seems to be no lulls. I consider myself to be a comedy officianardo, so i really think i know what im talking about here, and i have never seen anything like this before. The boys were saying that people make those comments about them as a joke on the show this week... but i actually did make those comments on this forum a couple of weeks ago! Life imitating art, or art imitating life?

DEAR GOD, dear god, dear god... these two guys are the funniest people ever. Can you think of someone even close to as funny as either of these guys? The answer is no. Geniuses. Not just funny, but CONSTANTLY funny. They are so good that it boggles the mind. Mind-bogglingly funny. How does this happen?