Doctor Vs Comedian – Details, episodes & analysis

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Doctor Vs Comedian

Health & Fitness

Frequency: 1 episode/7d. Total Eps: 271

Is Laughter the best medicine? We attempt to answer this and other pressing questions in Doctor Vs Comedian. Dr Asif Doja is a pediatric neurologist and Ali Hassan is a stand up comedian and actor (CBC‘s Laugh Out Loud, Designated Survivor, Goon) who are each fascinated by what the other one does. In each episode, Asif picks a topic for Ali from comedy and entertainment and questions Ali about it. Then Ali picks a topic from medicine and health and grills Asif on that subject. We talk about serious subjects in an unserious way. If you want to hear about comedy, entertainment, health and wellness and don‘t want to have to choose between being entertaining AND informed, then this show is for you.

Recent rankings

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Apple Podcasts

🇨🇦 Canada - medicine
17/08/2026
#76
🇨🇦 Canada - medicine
16/08/2026
#80
🇨🇦 Canada - medicine
22/07/2026
#100
🇨🇦 Canada - medicine
14/07/2026
#94

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RSS feed quality and score

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RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 73%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

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Episode 178: ‘Chimp Crazy’ / Monkey Bites

Episode 178

Friday, September 20, 2024 • Duration 46:07

Today the guys discuss the extremely popular HBO docuseries “Chimp Crazy (1:39). The guys discuss the background of the series and director Eric Good (Tiger King) developed the series. They then discuss how the series main subject, Tonia Haddix, got involved with keeping primates as pets in addition to discussing the involvement of actor Alan Cumming in the docuseries. Asif then asks Ali about an interview he did with journalist Sam Adams about the controversy behind the making of ‘Chimp Crazy’ and Eric Goode hiring a proxy director for the series.

Ali then asks Asif about monkey (primate) attacks and monkey bites (25:11). Asif goes over how the two main causes of primate attacks are primate ownership and over-habituation. With regards to pet ownership, Asif outlines a few major gruesome pet chimpanzee attacks in the US and in particular the attack by a chimp named Travis whose victim was featured on ‘Oprah’. Asif then discusses overhabituation which is caused often by monkeys’ desire for human food. He discusses the risks of monkey bites including the potentially fatal disease caused by the ‘B-virus’. Asif then concludes by discussing how to avoid monkey bites when on vacation in tropical areas.

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Is it ethical to watch the new docuseries Chimp Crazy? https://www.cbc.ca/arts/commotion/is-it-ethical-to-watch-the-new-docuseries-chimp-crazy-1.7301775
The Grotesquerie of Chimp Crazy: https://slate.com/culture/2024/08/chimp-crazy-documentary-tonia-haddix-tonka-tiger-king-hbo-max.html
She Faked Her Chimp’s Death. Then Things Went Apesh!t: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tonia-haddix-peta-tonka-fake-monkey-death-1388070/
‘Chimp Crazy’ Star Tonia Haddix Would Change (Almost) Nothing: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/chimp-crazy-tonia-haddix-tonka-interview-1235093696/
Here’s what the Toronto IKEA monkey is up to, 10 years later: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/12/09/toronto-ikea-monkey-10-years-later-darwin/
Behind The Scenes: The Monkey From 'Speed Racer' Was A Jerk: https://www.cracked.com/article_32977_behind-the-scenes-the-monkey-from-speed-racer-was-a-jerk.html
The Double Dishonesty of Chimp Crazy: https://www.vulture.com/article/chimp-crazy-director-deception-tonia-haddix.html
The Will to Live: https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/chimp-attack-victim-charla-nash-shows-her-face
A Primate Party Gone Horribly Awry: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-mar-05-me-chimp5-story.html
https://theconversation.com/why-monkeys-attack-people-a-primate-expert-explains-221547
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/5/hong-kongs-first-monkey-virus-case-what-do-we-know-about-the-b-virus
Monkeys blamed for hundreds of puppy deaths captured in India: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/21/monkeys-blamed-for-hundreds-of-puppy-deaths-captured-in-india

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Episode 177: Top 5 ‘Friends’ Episodes / Ketamine

Episode 177

Friday, September 13, 2024 • Duration 56:12

Today, the guys discuss their top 5 episodes of the classic sitcom ‘Friends’. But they switch things up by doing the medical topic first by discussing Ketamine and its role in Matthew Perry’s death (3:53). Ali starts out by asking Asif about how exactly ketamine was involved in Matthew Perry’s drowning death. Asif then goes over the history of ketamine, how it works and how it is mainly used as anesthesia. Ali then asks him about how it has been increasingly used in depression and Asif goes over the scientific evidence for this (after a brief digression about electroconvulsive therapy). They then discuss the abuse potential of ketamine and the side effects. They then discuss a New York Times article from last discussing ketamine abuse, telemedicine and compounding pharmacies. They then wrap up the section by discussing the individuals arrested for providing the ketamine implicated in Matthew Perry’s death. Then in the second, more lighthearted half, the guys each list their top 5 ‘Friends’ episodes (31:43).

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Ketamine: https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/ketamine
Matthew Perry’s Death Shines a Harsh Light on Ketamine Treatment:

Episode 168: ‘Tell Them You Love Me’ / CP and Facilitated Communication

Episode 168

Friday, July 12, 2024 • Duration 51:34

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses sexual abuse.

Today, the guys discuss the new Netflix documentary “Tell them you love me” (3:25) (Spoilers abound). They discuss the case of Anna Stubblefield, a tenured professor of ethics at Rutgers University, who initially started off aiding a young black man with cerebral palsy, Derrick Johnson, with facilitated communication but was eventually charged with sexually abusing Derrick. The guys start off by discussing Derrick’s early life and then Asif takes a medical aside and discusses cerebral palsy (6:37). Asif goes over what it is, how common it is and how it does not imply anything about cognitive capabilities. He goes over the causes, the different types as well as clues that might suggest an alternate diagnosis.

The guys then go back to the case of Anna Stubblefield (16:15) and discuss how Anna believed that facilitated communication ‘unlocked’ Derrick’s intelligence and how she felt he could consent to a romantic and sexual relationship. Ali then asks Asif about the scientific evidence behind facilitated communication and how it is considered by many organizations to be a pseudoscience (30:39). The guys then discuss the potential harms of facilitated communication, before wrapping up the complicated and disturbing case (36:49).

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Show Notes:

Episode 78: This Hour has 22 Minutes (Part 1)

Episode 78

Friday, August 26, 2022 • Duration 30:16

Today Ali and Asif discuss the Canadian comedy series This Hour has 22 minutes, which is celebrating it’s 30th season this year. They discuss the origins of the show and the original cast, including Cathy Jones, Rick Mercer, Greg Thomey, and Mary Walsh. They then discuss some of the other people who have appeared on the show in the past including Shaun Majumder, Colin Mochrie, Nathan Fielder, Gavin Crawford and Mark Critch. Then the guys bring up the groundbreaking nature of the show and how it influenced shows such as The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and Last Week Tonight. They talk about the classic bits from the show including Rick Mercer’s Rants, Talking to Americans and Raj Binder and how they seemed to always have intimate access to Canadian politicians. They then talk about some of the more controversial moments including Rob Ford calling 911 on Mary Walsh and Carolyn Parrish being forced out of the Liberal party after performing voodoo on a George Bush doll on ‘This Hour’.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Bonus: Better Call Saul and Anne Heche

Episode 77

Sunday, August 21, 2022 • Duration 04:20

The guys provide a bonus mini-episode discussing two things from the news in the past week. First, Asif discusses the triumphant finale of ‘Better Call Saul’ and the amazing acting of Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and especially Rhea Seahorn. Then they discuss the death of actress Anne Heche, and how some news organizations (The Washington Post) did not declare Heche as having died, even when she was declared neurologically dead.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Why the media declared Anne Heche dead twice: https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/08/16/anne-heche-death-confusion

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Episode 76: Brain Death and the Archie Battersbee Case

Episode 76

Friday, August 19, 2022 • Duration 39:31

On today’s special episode the guys forgo an entertainment topic to focus on the Archie Bastersbee case in the UK and the concept of brain death. They guys start off by discussing how he sustained a brain injury supposedly while doing a TikTok “Blackout challenge. They discuss how his doctors diagnosed him as “brain dead” but the family disagreed with the diagnosis and appealed to courts in the UK, as well as the UN. Asif then discusses the 2 different ways to diagnose death (cardiac and neurological) and the tests neurologists use to determine brain death. The guys also talk about the differences between this case and the Terri Schiavo case. Ali then asks Asif about a New Yorker article by Rachel Aviv which discusses the case of Jahi McMath. Using her case, the guys discuss how the diagnosis of brain death has come under scrutiny by some experts.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Archie Battersbee case: a timeline of key events: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/06/archie-battersbee-case-timeline-key-events-life-support-what-happened

Episode 75: Garry Shandling / Hyperparathyroidism

Episode 75

Friday, August 12, 2022 • Duration 01:00:53

Today the guys discuss the life and career of Gary Shandling (1:25). They discuss his early life and how his brother’s death, a car accident and him crossing a comedy picket line were formative experiences for him. They discuss Shandling’s eventual appearance on ‘The Tonight Show’ and then the development of his groundbreaking sitcom “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show”. They then discuss how he followed this up with another landmark show “The Larry Sanders Show”. Later, they discuss his final projects and his untimely death in 2016. Then Ali asks Asif about hyperparathyroidism, which Shandling suffered from (44:00). Asif talks about the common symptoms ( "bones, stones, abdominal groans, and psychic moans/overtones") and the reasons why people develop the disease. He then discussed how it is diagnosed as well as the treatment of this disorder.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling: https://www.hbo.com/the-zen-diaries-of-garry-shandling
The Comedian’s Comedian’s Comedian: https://www.gq.com/story/comedy-issue-garry-shandling

‘This Podcast is Delicious’ / Food Prescriptions

Episode 74

Friday, August 5, 2022 • Duration 01:13:40

Today we have a special food themed episode! First, the guys discuss Ali’s other podcast, ‘This Podcast is Delicious’ with Ali’s co-host Marco Timpano (0:52). They discuss Marco’s background and how he ended up podcasting. They then discuss how Ali and Marco met and the genesis for their podcast. They discuss how it used to be called ‘Eat and Drink’ and how it had been recently rebranded as ‘This Podcast is Delicious’. Marco sticks around for the medical topic as the guys discuss physicians prescribing food to patients (35:46). Asif discusses the broader concept of ‘social prescribing’ which originated in the UK. He discusses the different types of food prescribing and some studies that have examined its effectiveness. The guys then discuss some potentially ethical issues associated with food prescribing. Finally they conclude with some thoughts on how medicine can incorporate food prescribing, such as so called ‘culinary medicine’ curricula.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

This Podcast is Delicious: https://shows.acast.com/eat-and-drink/episodes/deliciousness-begins-now

Episode 73: The Rise and Fall of the WWE’s Vince McMahon

Episode 73

Friday, July 29, 2022 • Duration 47:33

Today on a special episode, the guys don’t cover a medical topic and only discuss an entertainment one: the rise and fall of the WWE’s Vince McMahon (2:51). Even if you don’t like wrestling, or actively hate it, this episode is a fascinating listen. The guys start off by discussing why professional wrestling has continued to be popular over the years and how ‘meta’ commentary on wrestling has been covered by writers such as David Shoemaker. Asif then goes over the history of wrestling and discusses how the charge of wrestling being ‘fake’ has been around for over 100 years. They then talk about the rise of Vince McMahon and how he changed the landscape of professional wrestling. They then discuss the recent allegations against Vince which prompted him to retire from the WWE. Finally, they discuss where the WWE is heading and the ‘Succession’-type backroom dealings in the organization.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

The Squared Circle: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/311224/the-squared-circle-by-david-shoemaker/9781592408818/excerpt

Episode 72: Brad Pitt / Prosopagnosia

Episode 72

Friday, July 22, 2022 • Duration 54:43

Today, the guys discuss the career of the legendary A-lister Brad Pitt (1:21). They talk about his early life and roles. Then they discuss his philanthropy and personal life. Later the guys each list their 3 favourite Brad Pitt roles. Then Ali asks Asif about prosopagnosia, which Brad Pitt diagnosed himself with (33:24). Asif defines what it is (essentially ‘face blindness’) and how you can get it from an acquired brain injury. Asif then discusses the other developmental form which you can be born with and how the disorder may be more common than people think.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Brad Pitt opens up his dream world: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/brad-pitt-interview-2022/amp
What Is Prosopagnosia, a Condition That Causes ‘Face Blindness’? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/well/mind/prosopagnosia-face-blindness.html
Prosopagnosia: current perspectives:

Doctor Vs Comedian – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Doctor Vs Comedian – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

ncbi.nlm.nih87

New York Times67

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

ncbi.nlm.nih87

New York Times67