This Is Going Well, I Think With David Cooper

Things begin with Tony Five berating David for showing up late to the podcast taping. Tony brings up how the UK's civil servants are coming out against bullying. The two attack the deep question, "Why are people prejudiced?" – only they do it in the dumbest possible way. David shares what he thought when he broke the news that Russia had invaded Ukraine on commercial radio. The conversation turns to "selective outrage" in the media. David likens the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to his divorce. Then, another deep question arises: "If you gave children weapons, would they behave as badly as adults?" The duo discuss why doom scrolling may be a terrible idea. The show ends with a cliffhanger: "Is poo racist?" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Things are obviously not going well. Whatever this is, it involves fungus. Promise! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veterinarian Dr. Cliff Redford engages with David, discussing the differences between being a doctor for animals vs. people. During their conversation, anal fissures come up (of course), leading to a discussion about an organ that many animals possess but humans do not: anal glands. They also discuss his film Dr. Cliff Worldwide Vet, which will be screened at the NYC TV Festival on July 17, 2023. Then a serious discussion. In the context of Hurricane Katrina and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: If you help pets, you help people. Cliff shares his personal journey of combining his roles as a veterinarian and a performer. Dr. Cliff then flips the script and interviews David, who shares his experiences as a Canadian living in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evolutionary biology and science expert Dan Riskin confesses to being a listener of this podcast. He and David discuss astronaut Chris Hadfield. David then claims that Dan said the nicest thing anyone's ever said about him. Dan shares about his time working with Craig Ferguson and the Discovery Channel. The conversation turns to what it means to "do the work" vs. receiving recognition for your work. David shares why the following quote means so much to him: "You have the right to work, but only for the work's sake. You don’t have the right to the fruits of the work." (That’s Bhagavad Gita, by the way.) David forgets a word and panics. Finally, it's science time. The stories covered: If you're not a fast thinker, you might be a better thinker; Scientists may have found the neurological basis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; and Judges make punishments more harsh when there’s a longer delay before punishment. David remembers the word he was looking for: ambivalent. (No show tomorrow for July 4th. See y

Things are getting spicy! David is joined by Isabella Mise, Senior Director of Communications from Ashley Madison ostensibly to talk about the top cities for summer affairs, but things quickly end up going a little deeper. The two talk about extramarital affairs and non-monogamy. They discuss how to be discreet and what it means to conduct an affair with "integrity." Should monogamous relationships be the default? Find out all that and more on This Is Going Well, I Think! Oh, and David somehow manages to work his Jewish mother into the conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's cats, cats, cats with biology professor Dr. Jonathan Losos. He's the author of The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa (available wherever books are sold). David and him discuss why cats make the sounds they do, the domestication of cats, and feline behavior. They share a little bit about their own furry friends. Because what interview would be complete without David mentioning his own pet, Tomato? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Tony Five shares a little bit about his job in drug enforcement – wait, is Tony a NARC?! That story involves being in the middle of a notorious British murder case. (This murder brought to you by Ring™ cameras.) After that, the two "educate" each other on their respective national politics. Tony then brings the content: according to British PM Rishi Sunak, China poses the biggest threat to the world. Do these two idiot agree? Listen to find out! Then, could your cars' ECU (electronic control unit) be spying on you? State-sponsored spy viruses have infected consumer electronics before. David starts talking about his cat, and the topic of rat kings abruptly ends the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science expert Dan Riskin joins David to confess he listens to the show. They go over the introduction music for the show, which leads to a spacetime odyssey about a voicemail from David's mom and an autotune remix. Other topics covered: Where an unborn child's poop goes; How your gut's microbiome contributes to your health; Heart attacks are more likely on Mondays; The post lunar landing quartine measures were a bunch of BS; ...and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natasha Vinik joins David and gets some disappointing news regarding Canadian celebrity Carly Rae Jepsen. Natasha, having recently come back from a wedding, the two discuss the topic of matrimony. Then, it's cats on planes. After that, it's science hour—Are we living in a simulation? The next topic is nudity. Did you grow up in a naked household? Do you go to naked stuff? David somehow manages to steer the conversation towards his gastro-intestinal issues. Things get ridiculous when they explore how fringe conspiracy theories can become linked to certain communities. The show ends abruptly because of Banana Bread and Natasha's mother. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David's away on vacation all week so we're opening up the archive. Here's a call-in radio show with David, Tony Five, and Tony Tedesco. A segment called Sea Predator Aquarium evolved out of thin air, based on a ridiculous business idea – don't sue us, Shark Tank! (The concept eventually came to be called The Cod Pod). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David's away on vacation all week so we're opening up the archive. Here's the first time he ever called his mother live on the radio on BMIR 94.5 FM (Burning Man Information Radio). This clip has everything. Well mostly everything - it has swingers and David's mother revealing his childhood toilet habits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David's away on vacation all week so we're opening up the archive. Here's an interview with Chicago-based food writer Dennis Lee on how he cooked ramen... in his dishwasher. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David's away on vacation all week so we're opening up the archive. Here's an interview with veterinarian Dr. Uri Burstyn (of "Squish That Cat" fame) on a study that says experienced cat owners may be giving their cats too much affection - but those researchers may have got it wrong! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David's away on vacation all week so we're opening up the archive. Here's an interview with astronaut Chris Hadfield after the release of his book, The Apollo Murders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Therapy Thursdays on a Friday! Therapist Gary Direnfeld joins David, and the two discuss why living a boring life might actually be pretty exciting. Gary shares why "mixing in" on your ex's new life is a bad idea. A related moral quandary comes up: Should you warn a friend that their partner is cheating on them? That's a tough one. And finally, is it okay for your partner to watch pornography? That went well, I think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our resident Brit, Tony Five, joins David to discuss therapy and their therapists – past and present. They go over the reasons why people might go to therapy. The recent scandal involving British celebrity Phillip Schofield is also discussed. David shares why he's so open about talking about seeking mental health treatment with Tony. It's a topic that Tony never discussed openly before they met. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An episode from the archive! The backstory: Pornhub promised David a PR person to go over their 2021 "Year in Review" infographic for a commercial radio program. When Pornhub took too long to send a representative, David said, "F*ck it, let's just pretend my Jewish mother is our Pornhub correspondent!" His mother, Clara Cooper, didn't know what most of the terms were, like MILF or stepmom porn. She didn't really seem to understand what was going on at all. This is the unedited, uncensored, and bleeped interview! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Natalie Norman drops in. The show jumps right into David's most recent gastrointestinal issues. The two explore the use (or lack thereof) of profanity in broadcasting. David shares why he finds dancing so painful. Things go deep with a simple question: Do you like yourself? Then, Natalie's take on men sleeping with fat women. The show abruptly ends. Content warning for sensitive listeners: this episode's in the gutter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Five joins This Is Going Well, I Think and finally gets a Rule Britannia, kazoo-based introduction. The two tell the origin story of how they first met in San Francisco – and get derailed many times. They discuss the listeners they miss on the Canadian overnight radio show David used to host. The conversation devolves into a discussion of pornography, and it ends with the listener somehow being left stupider than when it started. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Friday! Social worker and therapist Gary Direnfeld condescends to appear on our segment Therapy Thursdays on a Friday. Gary and David discuss how they met, and then Gary shares a bit about himself. David opens up about his feelings since being off the air and without a commercial radio show. Then, ridiculous drama unfolds: Direnfeld v. Electrolux. Gary is furious with an appliance company. But is it really about his washer/dryer? David reverses roles and attempts to play therapist for Gary... with messy results. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices