The Chris Gethard Show: Public Access — Season 1
About this season
The Chris Gethard Show is, according to its website, “the most bizarre and often saddest talk show in New York City.” After starting off as a live show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, the show moved to cable access on June 22, 2011. It is a call-in and variety show hosted by Chris Gethard that airs every Wednesday night at 11:00PM on MNN and on a live stream at the show’s website. The Public access television show is written and produced by Noah Forman, Dru Johnston, J.D. Amato and Chris Gethard. It is directed by J.D. Amato. The show, known for its "no cool kids" atmosphere, has been called "oddly uplifting", a "cult hit," "an often riveting experiment in seat-of-your-pants broadcasting," and has gained viewers from around the world.
Episodes (143)
1. The First Episode
Aired 22 June 2011 • 60 min
The first episode was a rocky episode. The beginning of a very wild ride.
2. The Episode Where Everything Started
Aired 29 June 2011 • 60 min
The second episode. After being shut out of having any prep time, we just took calls - and realized that calls could be the basis for the whole show and we were way over thinking things.
3. The Third Episode Episode
Aired 6 July 2011 • 60 min
Shirtless Fanelli. A pre-presidential run and very visibly uncomfortable Connor Ratliff. Our first show in the small studio.
4. The Tazapper Episode
Aired 13 July 2011 • 60 min
The first appearances of Anthony Atamaniuk and Horatio Sanz. I gotta tell you, I thought this public access experiment had crashed and burned, and Horatio showed up last minute with no warning.
5. The Wiffle Bat Gang Episode
Aired 20 July 2011 • 60 min
The Wiffle Bat gang makes their debut - our first truly violent in an unexpected and way too much fashion experiment.
6. The Last Small Studio Show
Aired 27 July 2011 • 60 min
Our final small studio show and the first ever hosted by Shannon O'Neill.
7. The Hands on an Audience Member Episode
Aired 3 August 2011 • 60 min
8. The Kickboxer Episode
Aired 10 August 2011 • 60 min
Considered an all time classic. Heavy hitter guests John Mulaney and Matt Besser.
9. The Dance Battle Episode
Aired 17 August 2011 • 60 min
A controversial episode. Our friends the Oroboros Dance Crew came in and showed us what they do - little did we know that they would pants the Human Fish.
10. The Human Crane Episode
Aired 24 August 2011 • 60 min
The most legendarily disastrous bit in the history of TCGS, the first attempt at The Human Crane remains the only stunt we've bailed on halfway through.
11. The How Random Is Random Jean Episode
Aired 31 August 2011 • 60 min
The Chris Gethard Show debut of Jake Fogelnest.
12. The Fanelli Birthday Episode
Aired 7 September 2011 • 60 min
13. The What's on My Head Episode
Aired 14 September 2011 • 60 min
What's on My Head? What a weird, fun game.
14. The Drawing Pictures Episode
Aired 21 September 2011 • 60 min
15. The Find the Human Fish Episode
Aired 28 September 2011 • 60 min
Perhaps the dumbest idea we ever did - "Let's take the most popular thing about this show - in fact, the only thing that everyone loves all the time - and hide it from view for the entire show."
16. Goodbye Random Jean
Aired 5 October 2011 • 60 min
A heartbreaking goodbye to an old friend.
17. New Friends and Long Lost Friends
Aired 12 October 2011 • 60 min
We go on a search for the new Random.
18. The Physical Fitness Episode
Aired 19 October 2011 • 60 min
Chris Gethard watched an episode and decided he needed to lose a few pounds.
19. The Great American Presidential Debate and Halloween Spooktacular
Aired 26 October 2011 • 60 min
Connor invited every Republican candidate for president to debate him on the show.
20. Sibling Rivalry
Aired 2 November 2011 • 60 min
Tom Scharpling in studio to mediate the relationship of Chris Gethard and his brother.
21. The Milkshake of Death
Aired 9 November 2011 • 60 min
The Milkshake of Death. So gross, so fucked up, and such a fond memory.
22. Random Andrew and the Hero's Journey
Aired 16 November 2011 • 60 min
Random Andrew was taking it on the chin from our callers.
23. Sandwich Night
Aired 23 November 2011 • 60 min
A hundred-plus people showed up ready to eat.
24. The Greatest Rivalry in Sports
Aired 30 November 2011 • 60 min
A bunch of people from the show play on a basketball team together in NYC.
25. Papa Gethard's Love Cauldron
Aired 7 December 2011 • 60 min
Our dating episode. This one was really fun but also a mess.
26. Monologues Only
Aired 14 December 2011 • 60 min
This was the great JD Amato's idea, and man was it a good one. All monologue jokes all the time.
27. One Hundred Callers
Aired 21 December 2011 • 60 min
We attempted to get 100 callers in a single episode.
28. Ruin This Show
Aired 4 January 2012 • 60 min
This one hurt. The only show that actually went off the rails.
29. The Dominatrix
Aired 11 January 2012 • 60 min
30. The Night of Zero Laughs III
Aired 18 January 2012 • 60 min
The Night of Zero Laughs.
31. The Blindfold Show
Aired 25 January 2012 • 60 min
32. Loser Is the New Nerd
Aired 1 February 2012 • 60 min
33. The Search for the New Random
Aired 8 February 2012 • 60 min
We had to say goodbye to Random Andrew, and it was so sad.
34. The Birth of the Third Random
Aired 15 February 2012 • 60 min
We meet Random Melissa.
35. Checking in with Alyssa
Aired 22 February 2012 • 60 min
Why have something like The Chris Gethard Show if you don't do something nice for other people with it?
36. How Do Girls Work
Aired 29 February 2012 • 60 min
Our callers quiz Chris on female related topics and it becomes very clear how little Chris knows about women.
37. The Culture Show
Aired 7 March 2012 • 60 min
38. The Birth of the Hintmaster
Aired 21 March 2012 • 60 min
When Chris sets out to play the somewhat complicated word-game "Guess The Magic Word" he gets immediate feedback from the viewers that they are confused and bored by the game.
39. The Camera Cannon
Aired 28 March 2012 • 60 min
Eventually we had to let our audience use our cameras like guns that shoot missiles, so we went ahead and just did it.
40. The Wisdom of the Aged
Aired 4 April 2012 • 60 min
We invited the interesting, articulate, and 66 year old Peter Benjaminson to the show to help us wrestle with the concept of aging.
41. Math Sucks, Hintmaster Sucks
Aired 11 April 2012 • 60 min
A show dedicated to the ups and downs of education.
42. The Hintmaster Show
Aired 18 April 2012 • 60 min
Completing his transition from hero to villain, the Hintmaster takes over an entire episode of TCGS, renaming it The Hintmaster Show.
43. Multiple Choice Cavalcade of Fiascos
Aired 25 April 2012 • 60 min
The Multiple Choice Cavalcade of Fiascos is the ultimate bringer of either reward or punishment.
44. Foreign Language Bingo
Aired 3 May 2012 • 60 min
This week the TCGS panel is filled with friends of the show who speak different languages.
45. We Got Nothing
Aired 9 May 2012 • 60 min
This week we test our ability to put on a show by literally planning nothing. No call in topic. No bits. No guests. Nothing.
46. Robot Fights
Aired 16 May 2012 • 60 min
The Keeper of the Battledome has time traveled back from the future to oversee a night of insanity on TCGS.
47. Birthday Night
Aired 23 May 2012 • 60 min
This week is not only Gethard's birthday but also the last show before he takes to the streets for #BonnarooGethard.
48. The Great Gethard Look-Alike Extravaganza
Aired 30 May 2012 • 60 min
With Gethard and much of the crew out on the road, the rest of the gang hosts the Great Gethard Look-Alike Extravaganza.
49. Farewell Melissa
Aired 13 June 2012 • 60 min
Random Melissa's last episode.
50. The One Year Anniversary Show
Aired 20 July 2012 • 60 min
It's been one whole year since we first started this circus and we're doing our one year anniversary right.
51. The Night of Zero Laughs
Aired 27 June 2012 • 60 min
If you laugh, you get eliminated.
52. The Genuine Sadness Episode
Aired 11 July 2012 • 60 min
This week we weren't in the mood for dumb stuff.
53. The Shitty Art Show
Aired 18 July 2012 • 60 min
This week we explore both the art world as well as the world of tricking dummies into giving us money.
54. The Twist Magazine August 2012 Issue
Aired 25 July 2012 • 60 min
In unison we read the August 2012 Issue of Twist Magazine. For the entire show.
55. The Setup Show
Aired 1 August 2012 • 60 min
Behind the scenes of the setup for TCGS.
56. Sum Yourself Up in One Sentence
Aired 8 August 2012 • 60 min
Panel, Callers, and friends are all asked to sum up their entire lives in one sentence.
57. Celebrities Come Validate Us
Aired 15 August 2012 • 60 min
With Chris out of town, Shannon hosts the show and urges celebrities to come down to the show to validate us.
58. The Crowd-Sourced Character Contest
Aired 22 August 2012 • 60 min
Viewers sent in their submissions for names of new TCGS characters.
59. Happy Murf Day
Aired 29 August 2012 • 60 min
A day dedicated to Murf's head-shot and the man himself.
60. Truth or Dare
Aired 5 September 2012 • 60 min
The TCGS cast and crew participate in a viewer submitted game of truth or dare.
61. The Ultimate Public Access Party
Aired 12 September 2012 • 60 min
When Andrew W.K. comes to the show, we attempt to throw the most unforgettable party possible within with guidelines of public access television rules.
62. Smash Cut to the Future
Aired 19 September 2012 • 60 min
The Keeper of the Battledome returns to TCGS.
63. Smash Cut to the Past
Aired 29 September 2012 • 60 min
The Chris Gethard Show gets stuck in ancient Rome.
64. A Book Shall Be Written
Aired 3 October 2012 • 60 min
R.L Stine, D.C. Pierson, and Dave Hill join the panel and attempt to write a book live on public access television in one hour.
65. The Blindfold Show II
Aired 10 October 2012 • 60 min
The second Blindfold Show in which the entire panel is blindfolded.
66. The Softer Side of Shannon O'Neill
Aired 17 October 2012 • 60 min
We attempt to bring out the softer side of Shannon O'Neill.
67. The Cans Film Festival 2012
Aired 24 October 2012 • 60 min
We screen ten films each under one minute in the first ever Cans Film Festival.
68. The Beef Off
Aired 14 November 2012 • 60 min
The Beef Off: After a caller tried to determine the beefiest member of the TCGS crew, we decided to hold an official contest to figure out who the beefiest member of the TCGS family might be.
69. Sandwich Night 2012: 2 Sandwich 2 Night
Aired 21 November 2012 • 60 min
A bunch of friends gathering at a public access studio and eating sandwiches together on the eve of Thanksgiving - This year's Sandwich Night was massively successful.
70. Fan Fiction Theatre
Aired 28 November 2012 • 60 min
Viewers send in their own original TCGS Fan Fiction and we perform it live on the show with Bobby Moynihan, Anthony Atamanuik, and many of our TCGS friends.
71. First Night in Harlem
Aired 12 December 2012 • 60 min
While our regular studio is being renovated we have to head uptown to do the show from MNN's secondary studio in Harlem.
72. Panic Attacks and Technical Disasters
Aired 19 December 2012 • 60 min
Our second week in Harlem and fittingly we are talking about panic attacks.
73. Hyperresolutions
Aired 2 January 2013 • 60 min
We're in Harlem again and this time we're asking callers to give us their hypersolutions. We then take those hyperresolutions and then put Andrew Parrish in charge of making them come true.
74. Keeper and Company
Aired 9 January 2013 • 60 min
With Chris out of town we head to the time stream and check in on The Keeper of the Battledome's morning talk show Keeper and Company.
75. Loser Is Still the New Nerd
Aired 16 January 2013 • 60 min
Chris is joined by Jesse Ventura and Bethany to officially celebrate Loser-dome for the second time on the TCGS air waves. Callers and audience members explain why they might be losers.
76. Angels and Devils
Aired 23 January 2013 • 60 min
This week the panelists take calls from people seeking advice and let them choose whether they want good or bad advice.
77. Belly Burrito
Aired 30 January 2013 • 60 min
The panelists talk about some real stuff with callers as they help make a Belly Burrito.
78. Farewell Manesha
Aired 6 February 2013 • 60 min
Chris Gethard is joined by Danny Tamberelli and Mike Maronna from the Adventures of Pete and Pete as we say goodbye to "Random Manesha" who we literally only met once.
79. Race to the Top
Aired 13 February 2013 • 60 min
After challenging (begging) the fans to make the show #1 on iTunes, the panelists reward their successful efforts by degrading Chris Gethard.
80. Ambidextrous?
Aired 20 February 2013 • 60 min
The panelists test the limits of their non-dominant hands in a show concept suggested by a fan on the show's message boards.
81. February Beach Party
Aired 27 February 2013 • 60 min
After getting hit in the head with a coconut Vacation Jason has lost his memory and transformed in the stuffy suit-wearing Jason Reinlib.
82. When the Cat's Away, the Ratz Will Play
Aired 3 March 2013 • 60 min
With Chris Gethard down in Austin for South By Southwest, Shannon takes over hosting duties for the night and promptly gives all the power to our chatroom viewers. The legendary Ratz Carlton.
83. First Times
Aired 20 March 2013 • 60 min
Chris Gethard has first time callers, first time foods, first time experiences, and first time giant life moments. Special guest Aidy Bryant.
84. Someone will Die
Aired 27 March 2013 • 60 min
One of the fictional characters will die.
85. The Royal Rumble of Twister
Aired 3 April 2013 • 60 min
Colt Cabana is the guest for the first ever Royal Rumble of Twister. Every two minutes a new competitor joins the fray as callers give twister-based challenges.
86. Beyonce
Aired 10 April 2013 • 60 min
With Chris Gethard out of town, caller and friend of the show Alyssa takes the reigns and hosts a night dedicated to Beyonce. One full hour dedicated to Beyonce.
87. Let's Get Real
Aired 17 April 2013 • 60 min
This week we decide to get real and talk about anything our callers want to divulge.
88. What's in Hot Dog's Mouth
Aired 24 April 2013 • 60 min
We spend an hour trying to guess the different objects hidden in Hot Dog's mouth.
89. Let's Sell Out with Real Late Night Characters
Aired 1 May 2013 • 60 min
We try to prove that we can play ball just like any mainstream late night talk show, so we invite some conventional late night talk show guests onto our show.
90. Who Needs a Haircut?
Aired 8 May 2013 • 60 min
Special guest Zach Galifianakis joins us in studio to give haircuts to strangers.
91. We Will Predict Your Future
Aired 15 May 2013 • 60 min
Amy Poehler helps us predict the future. We use fortune cookies, tarot cards, magic eight balls, and our own intuition to determine what will happen to our callers.
92. Sum Yourself Up in a Dance Move
Aired 22 May 2013 • 60 min
Callers, cast, and friends all describe the motions that make them unique. With special guest Griffin Newman.
93. What's the Worst Thing You Can Make Us Say?
Aired 29 May 2013 • 60 min
This week the audience was challenged to submit the most offensive things they can muster.
94. Conspiracy Theory Gary Show
Aired 5 June 2013 • 60 min
The show was handed over to fellow MNN producer Conspiracy Theory Gary and let him put on the Conspiracy Theory Gary Show.
95. The Hour Long Song
Aired 12 June 2013 • 60 min
What happens when a bunch of strangers come together with random instruments and make up an hour long song?
96. The Crowd Sourced Character Contest 2
Aired 19 June 2013 • 60 min
It's back. Viewers submitted over 700 character names, we picked 10, and now you get to see these characters come to life.
97. True or False
Aired 26 June 2013 • 60 min
Callers tell stories and our panel has to decide if they are true or not.
98. Leaked E-mails
Aired 3 July 2013 • 60 min
Following the lead of Edward Snowden, Gethard decides to leak all emails and text messages associated with this week's show.
99. Looking at Dicks for an Hour: A New Low
Aired 10 July 2013 • 60 min
Four adult men look at each other's dicks for an hour.
100. Hundo
Aired 17 July 2013 • 60 min
Chris gives a State of The TCGS speech while getting speech jammed.
101. Glory Hole Kissing Booth
Aired 31 July 2013 • 60 min
With special guests Aidy Bryant and Vanessa Bayer, the panel is challenged to guess the lips of TCGS characters by kissing them in the first ever Glory Hole Kissing Booth.
102. Destroy-A-Toy
Aired 7 August 2013 • 60 min
Bobby Moynihan loves toys. Callers decide which challenges Bobby has to endure in order to save toys from destruction.
103. Turtle Birthday
Aired 14 August 2013 • 60 min
We have a birthday for a Turtle.
104. Space Battle
Aired 21 August 2013 • 60 min
The Human Fish has been captured by an alien and only a board-game based space battle captained by Mad Men's Rich Sommer can get him back.
105. Caller Critiques
Aired 28 August 2013 • 60 min
Jake Fogelnest joins the panel to critique our callers.
106. The Villain's Journey
Aired 4 September 2013 • 60 min
Is Random Messenger Bag truly a hero or just a man who has yet to be properly tested? Also, the Front Bottoms join us and make our audience go crazy.
107. We Got Nothing 2
Aired 11 September 2013 • 60 min
We got nothing. The only things we got are Quitzow who mesmerizes our audience in dancing a lot.
108. The Mole
Aired 18 September 2013 • 60 min
Someone leaked confidential information to Gimghoul Castle in North Carolina, which begs us to ask the question: Who is the goddamn mole?
109. The Beef Off 2
Aired 25 September 2013 • 60 min
Will Rob Malone defend his title? Will Jersey Dave repeat his first round failure from TBO1? Only the beefy will survive.
110. Olympic Training
Aired 2 October 2013 • 60 min
Callers help us train Connor Ratliff in possible events for the upcoming Summer Olympics. Will he find his event?
111. We Watch You
Aired 9 October 2013 • 60 min
We use Skype to watch our audience watch us.
112. TCGS Half Hour + Saddle Bee Neigh T Hive
Aired 16 October 2013 • 60 min
TCGS performs a half-hour opener for the hit live variety sketch show Saddle-Bee Neigh-t Hive starring Horse and Bee. Griffin Newman is the special guest on TCGS as well as the host of SNH.
113. Mike at the Library
Aired 23 October 2013 • 60 min
We let a guy from Cornell lead us around his school library via Skype for a full hour.
114. Rid Us of This Cursed Doll
Aired 30 October 2013 • 60 min
We have a haunted doll. We want to give it to you. By the end of this show one of you will get it and all of the curses that come with it.
115. Open for Delivery
Aired 6 November 2013 • 60 min
Viewers send things to the studio and we just sit back and let the fun come to us.
116. Place Your Bets
Aired 13 November 2013 • 60 min
You make bets, we do them.
117. A Big Announcement
Aired 20 November 2013 • 60 min
A big announcement. Anything can happen. No cool kids.
118. Sandwich Night Br3advolution
Aired 27 November 2013 • 60 min
The third annual Sandwich Night. The biggest crowd, the most sandwiches, and calls from other sandwich celebrations.
119. Scare the Shit Out of Bethany
Aired 4 December 2013 • 60 min
We try to make Bethany Hall cry live on air with help from horror actress Blanche Baker and the sick and twisted minds of our callers.
120. The Cream Wedding
Aired 11 December 2013 • 60 min
The wedding you've all been waiting for: The Guy Who Likes Cream But Not Too Much Cream & His Personal Barista. Love, laughs, and - drama?
121. The Human Fish Gets Waxed
Aired 2 April 2014 • 60 min
The Human Fish gets waxed. With special guest Sal Vulcano, and musical guest Wheatus.
122. Tell Us Something You've Never Told Anyone
Aired 9 April 2014 • 60 min
Chris Gethard and the panel ask the callers to tell them something they have never told anyone before.
123. J.D.'s Nightmare
Aired 16 April 2014 • 60 min
124. I'm Nervous All the Time
Aired 24 April 2014 • 60 min
Planned to be about nervousness regarding the future. Instead, a completely unplanned chant of "eat more butts" broke out at the beginning then lasted almost fifteen full minutes.
125. Say It to My Face
Aired 30 April 2014 • 60 min
Chris Gethard invited fellow MNN producers who have been talking shit to come on air and talk it out. None of them show up.
126. Don Fanelli Builds a Human Size Bird House
Aired 7 May 2014 • 60 min
Don Fanelli builds a human size bird house. A callback from the very first episode.
127. Paintin' Faces with Diana Kolsky
Aired 14 May 2014 • 60 min
Diana Kolsky face paints panelists.
128. Spanish Calls Only
Aired 21 May 2014 • 60 min
An episode where only Spanish is allowed to be spoken.
129. How Would You Fight Me?
Aired 28 May 2014 • 60 min
Callers were asked to call in and describe how they would fight Chris Gethard.
130. Straight Up Phone Sex
Aired 4 June 2014 • 60 min
Callers were asked to call in and have phone sex with various members of our panel, and our very special guest, Hannibal Buress.
131. Talkin' Teenz
Aired 11 June 2014 • 60 min
Chris Gethard invites a Canadian teenager to interview the panel about comedy and teenagers.
132. Juan in a Million
Aired 18 June 2014 • 60 min
The Chris Gethard Show celebrates the long time creative contributor Juan in a live retrospective.
133. The Night of Zero Laughs V
Aired 25 June 2014 • 60 min
The Night Of Zero Laughs V. If you laugh, you get eliminated.
134. The First Call Show
Aired 2 July 2014 • 60 min
The first person to call in decides the topic of the entire episode.
135. We Aren't Done Talking About Wrestling Yet
Aired 9 July 2014 • 60 min
Special guest Eddie Kingston in studio to help us work on the ancient art of cutting wrestling promos.
136. Talk About Whatever You Want (But We Recommend Professional Wrestling)
Aired 16 July 2014 • 60 min
"El Matador" Tito Santana and SNL's Brooks Wheelan are joining us to talk about pro wrestling for the third week in a row.
137. Why Did You Stop Watching the Chris Gethard Show?
Aired 23 July 2014 • 60 min
No characters, no costumes, no musical guest, no house band, no hula hooping. Just taking calls from people who used to watch the show but don't anymore, so they can say why.
138. ShoutOutTV Presents the Booty Shake Hour with Bo Montez
Aired 30 July 2014 • 60 min
Bo Montez takes over the The Chris Gethard Show time slot, so get ready to shake your rumps for a full hour of debauchery.
139. I Can Do Bad All by Myself
Aired 6 August 2014 • 60 min
There are no camera operators, floor managers, or any crew, Chris Gethard takes over all the reins with musical guest Mal Blum.
140. 18th Century American Gladiators
Aired 13 August 2014 • 60 min
The Chris Gethard Show traveled back to the 1700s to see some of our nation's founding fathers compete against audience members in a series of ill advised and very 18th Century events with music by Open Mike Eagle and Hannibal Buress.
141. Should We Keep Doing the Show?
Aired 20 August 2014 • 60 min
The Chris Gethard Show has a simple call in topic this week - "Should we keep doing this show?" with music by Black Wine.
142. The Hallowcane Squeezetacular
Aired 31 October 2012 • 60 min
Due to Hurricane Sandy shutting down most of New York, TCGS is forced to put on an impromptu Halloween Party and Live Show direct from Chris' actual bedroom. Cast and crew walked from the far corners of New York to get there and what unfolded was a last-second completely unplanned episode of TCGS. We try to scare Bethany, hear some great music, and endorse products since we're not on the public access airwaves.
143. 12 Hours of Election Coverage
Aired 6 November 2012 • 60 min