Doctor Vs Comedian

NOTE: This episode contains explicit language and discussions of sexual abuse and self-harm

Today, Ali and Asif are joined by comedian and longtime podcast host Paul Gilmartin, former co-host of TBS’s Dinner and a Movie, stand-up comedian, and creator and host of The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast. Paul talks about his journey into comedy and why so many comedians seem to have a complicated relationship with pain, vulnerability, and humor. We explore how The Mental Illness Happy Hour began, what he has learned from listening to thousands of people share their most personal experiences, and why simply feeling heard and understood can be so powerful—even when there is no advice, quick fix, or magic pill offered. We also discuss why people may reveal their deepest struggles to a stranger before turning to a spouse, family member, or doctor, and what comedians and physicians might each misunderstand about mental illness.

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

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:
The Mental Illness Happy Hour: https://mentalpod.com/

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Today Asif and Ali explore the remarkable life and legacy of Dolly Parton (1:55)—from her humble beginnings in rural Tennessee and extraordinary career as a singer, songwriter, actress, and entertainer to her enduring impact far beyond music. They discuss some of her most iconic songs, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You,” as well as the business savvy that helped make her one of the most successful artists of all time. But Dolly’s greatest legacy may be her philanthropy: from the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, which has provided millions of books to children around the world, to her support for education, children’s hospitals, and early COVID-19 vaccine research.

Then, since Dolly was caring for her husband in his final years (and may have neglected her own health), in the second half, they discuss caregiver burnout (26:44): what it is, who is most vulnerable, the warning signs that are easy to miss, and why guilt, resentment, and the loss of one’s identity can make things worse. Asif discusses why caregivers of people with dementia may be particularly vulnerable, why simply telling someone to “practice self-care” often misses the bigger problem, and how respite care, social support, counseling, and redistribution of caregiving responsibilities can make a meaningful difference. He also discusses when burnout becomes a patient-safety issue, and how family members can provide specific, practical help. Most importantly, they examine the misconception that burnout means you don't love the person you're caring for—and why protecting the caregiver is ultimately part of protecting the patient.

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

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Dolly Parton, Country Singer Who Crossed All Party Lines, Dies at 80: https://newrepublic.com/post/214733/dolly-parton-crossed-party-lines
Dolly Parton, Country Music Legend, Dies at 80: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/arts/music/dolly-parton-dead.html
Dolly Parton Brought Music and Books to the World: https://www.npr.org/2026/08/25/nx-s1-5944449/dolly-parton-brought-music-and-books-to-the-world
How Dolly Parton’s Literacy Work Affected Indigenous Communities in Australia: https://www.npr.org/2026/09/01/nx-s1-5950407/how-dolly-partons-literacy-work-affected-indigenous-communities-in-australia
Dolly Parton Spoke About ‘Hard Times with My Health’ 4 Days Before Her Death (Exclusive): https://people.com/dolly-parton-spoke-about-health-hard-times-four-days-before-death-exclusive-12065830 (People.com)
Dolly Parton’s Husband Carl Dean Died First, But His Cause of Death Was Never Released: https://www.mensjournal.com/news/dolly-parton-husband-carl-dean-died-first-cause-of-death-how-he-died (mensjournal.com)

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In this episode, Asif and Ali examine the intense public scrutiny surrounding Ariana Grande and Jenna Ortega and what our fascination with celebrities’ bodies reveals about the culture we have created. They discuss why an eating disorder cannot be diagnosed from a photograph, Grande’s public comments about body scrutiny, Ortega’s reflections on her experiences as a child actor, and the ways celebrity culture, social media, appearance comparison and unrealistic beauty standards can affect body image and disordered eating. They also talk about Chadwick Boseman and how certain groups made assumptions about him when he lost weight due to colon cancer. The guys then review also explore the responsibilities of journalists, podcasters, social-media platforms and audiences when covering these sensitive issues—including the dangers of speculation, triggering imagery, “thinspiration” and armchair diagnoses.

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

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

Ariana Grande - Petal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afSgBNwmZrQ&list=RDafSgBNwmZrQ&start_radio=1
Jenna Ortega Thought “Wednesday” Would End Her Career | How I Got Here | Esquire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDN_oms-lvg&t=36s
The New Yorker — Ariana Grande and the Disappointment of Diagnosis: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/critics-notebook/ariana-grande-and-the-disappointment-of-diagnosis
Variety — Ariana Grande Eating Disorder Speculation Is Harmful: https://variety.com/2026/music/news/ariana-grande-eating-disorder-speculation-harmful-1236827071/
The Guardian — Ariana Grande Body Debate and Eating Disorders: https://www.theguardian.com/music/ng-interactive/2026/aug/08/ariana-grande-body-debate-eating-disorders
CNN — Ariana Grande, Weight and Body Concerns: https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/entertainment/ariana-grande-weight-body-cec
The Express Tribune — Jenna Ortega Becomes Latest Celebrity to Prompt Health Concerns With Gaunt Appearance: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2623442/jenna-ortega-becomes-latest-celebrity-to-prompt-health-concerns-with-gaunt-appearance
Celebrity influence on body image and eating disorders: A review: PubMed PMID 33499697 (PubMed)
The association between social comparison in social media, body image concerns and eating disorder symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis: PubMed PMID 39721448 (PubMed)
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): nationaleatingdisorders.org
National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC): nedic.ca

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Today, Asif and Ali sit down with Dr. Mubin Syed, an interventional radiologist and neuroradiologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience, board-certified in vascular medicine and obesity medicine, health historian, medtech entrepreneur, and inventor with 28 patents. Dr. Syed shares his personal journey of suffering a heart attack and how this led him into a deep dive of trying to understand why South Asians are at a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease. He explores the “thin-fat” phenotype and why South Asians can develop metabolic disease at lower BMIs, as well as the evolutionary and historical forces that may have shaped these vulnerabilities (using examples such as sickle cell anemia). Drawing on his book Healing From Our History: How Colonial-Era Famines Led To A Modern South Asian Health Crisis, Dr. Syed discusses colonial-era famines in India, intergenerational health, epigenetics, and how studies from other parts of the world (China, Okinawa, etc.) can teach us about the powerful interaction between genetics, environment, and diet—and, ultimately, what these insights mean for improving health outcomes for South Asians today.

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

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:
Healing from Our History: https://www.desidocmd.com/new-book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Asif and Ali discuss all things vaccines with the author of ‘The Vaccine Bible’ Dr. Michael T. Myers Jr (1:23). A pediatrician and physician leader with more than 35 years of experience in primary care, medical group practice, public health, and health care consulting, Dr. Myers recently retired as Chief of Primary Care, Pediatrics, and Practice Transformation for Summit Health New Jersey. The guys chat with him about what led him to become a vaccine advocate and why he felt this was the right—and perhaps most challenging—time to write a comprehensive guide to vaccines. Dr. Myers describes The Vaccine Bible as a practical resource to help families understand vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that protect against them. He discusses how vaccines work, how to reassure parents about vaccine safety and what pediatricians and hospitals are seeing as vaccine-preventable illnesses return. They also discuss Donald Trump and RFK Jr and the recent executive order in the USA calling for fewer childhood vaccinations. Then then ask Dr. Myers about the ongoing measles outbreaks in North America and some of the most common concerns he hears from vaccine-hesitant parents, including pharmaceutical industry influence and questions about the safety of mRNA vaccines.

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

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
The Vaccine Bible—Amaz on
The Vaccine Bible—Bookshop.org
The Vaccine Bible—Audiobook
Dr. Myers' Website
Trump signs executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccinations: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-order-childhood-vaccine-shots-spacing-9.7302161
Trump’s goal to split MMR vaccine could take a decade, experts say: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trumps-goal-split-mmr-vaccine-could-take-decade-experts-say-2026-08-12/

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