Overview of How Long Gone Episode 978
Chris Black and Jason Stewart bounce across celebrity culture, food and beverage habits, travel, dogs, and a recent improv cameo from Chris. The episode is mostly freewheeling banter: they dissect Jonah Hill’s viral SmartLess moment, debate whether anti-straight-male comedy is getting stale, talk through London restaurant etiquette, and somehow end up on pit bulls, mint tea, Americano obsession, Starlink, and Joe Budden gossip. It’s a very How Long Gone mix of fashion-adjacent observations, cultural snark, and personal updates.
Main Topics Discussed
Jonah Hill, SmartLess, and celebrity promo pressure
- Chris and Jason react to Jonah Hill’s “I will annihilate you” comment at what they believe was a live SmartLess event.
- They argue that:
- celebrity interviewers and live crowds can push people into saying reckless things,
- promo circuits can make even thoughtful actors sound unhinged,
- and Jonah was likely just caught up in the energy of the room.
- They also joke about the odd optics of a wealthy Hollywood event with sponsor clutter like SkinnyPop and loose celebrity improvisation.
Mary Beth Barone and the “straight male comedians” joke
- They discuss Mary Beth Barone’s special and a quote where she says she can’t listen to straight male comedians for a while.
- Jason and Chris debate whether that kind of broad swipe is:
- justified as audience-facing comedy,
- or eventually going to feel hacky if it becomes too common.
- Their takeaway: broad generalizations are funnier than caveated ones, but comedy trends eventually move on.
Coffee, tea, and beverage identity
- Chris reveals he’s become an Americano guy, which surprises Jason.
- They get into:
- why americanos are often the fallback drink,
- how Europeans often don’t serve normal drip coffee,
- and how Chris likes to control water temperature and espresso strength at home.
- They also have a long, joking debate about mint tea:
- Chris insists it feels like a “hot chick” or Middle Eastern after-dinner drink,
- Jason pushes back but mostly rides the bit,
- and they agree mint tea is tied to culture, digestion, and a certain vibe.
- They extend the conversation into whether Coke, bread, or tea is the most globally universal beverage/food category.
London restaurant gossip and social behavior
- Chris describes overhearing an older British woman being rude and condescending to two Italian women at lunch in London.
- He’s especially annoyed that she was:
- rude to the waiter,
- drinking an iced latte,
- and acting superior while clearly being unpleasant.
- The moment becomes a broader rant about classy-looking people being nasty in public and the odd mismatch between age, drink choice, and attitude.
Pit bulls, Rottweilers, and “dog racism”
- A huge chunk of the episode becomes a funny, meandering pit bull discourse.
- They reference Jon Bernthal’s quote that hating pit bulls is “dog racism.”
- Chris and Jason compare:
- pit bulls as powerful but potentially unpredictable,
- Rottweilers as more visibly terrifying “killing machines.”
- They also riff on:
- Big Boy from Outkast and his pit bull breeding/ownership,
- the idea of “holding a pit” temporarily like a favor,
- and the absurdity of dog breeds as status, temperament, and metaphor.
Chris’s improv debut
- Chris talks through his recent improv/variety show appearance in support of his friend Lily.
- He says the show included:
- sketch,
- visual/interactive material,
- and a final improv section.
- He felt:
- solid in the sketch/read portions,
- good with the visual guessing game,
- and only average in the actual improv.
- His biggest issue was physical: not knowing what to do with his hands onstage without a microphone or chair.
- Jason praises him for doing something outside his usual lane and treats it as a worthwhile creative stretch.
Joe Budden at Condé Nast
- Near the end, Jason brings up Joe Budden posting from the Condé Nast building.
- They speculate about which publication might be working on a profile or long-form story about him.
- Possible guesses include major Condé titles like The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ, or Wired.
- They clearly find the mystery entertaining and want to know who’s behind it.
Travel updates and upcoming events
- Chris is in London and heading to Copenhagen the next morning for a restaurant opening by Frederick Bille Brahe.
- They mention a future New York event on September 15 and tease additional announcements, including something with Nine Orchard and possibly a DJ party.
- The episode ends with a reminder to watch for more details.
Notable Takeaways
- Celebrity live events and promo cycles can make people say things they’d never say in a calmer setting.
- Chris has unexpectedly become an Americano convert.
- Mint tea is, in their telling, weirdly gendered and culturally coded.
- Pit bull discourse is basically a proxy for talking about power, reputation, and danger.
- Chris is open to trying new things publicly, but his comfort zone still seems to be witty commentary, not full-time improv.
Sponsor Mentions
The episode includes ads for:
- PayPal
- BetterHelp
- Squarespace
- Quince
- TaskRabbit
- Nesquik
Bottom Line
This episode is a classic How Long Gone blend of culture criticism and inside-baseball banter: part celebrity gossip, part travel diary, part food-and-drink obsessing, and part absurdist riffing. The strongest recurring themes are image management, social performance, and the way small tastes — coffee, tea, dogs, comedy, restaurants — become bigger conversations about identity and status.