The Chris Gethard Show: 15 Greatest Moments
The best bits from of one of comedy's most bizarre, emotional shows.
The Chris Gethard Show has been producing some of the most exciting, innovative television of the past five years - and its been all on their own rules. In this time, they have created bizarre, cathartic, often sad as hell episodes of television that have flown in the face of traditional late night formulas.
This acting outside of the box comes from the freedom allowed by public access, which they called their home for several years. In this span of time, they released episodes that include dominatrices, kickboxers, turtle birthdays, R.L. Stine, camera cannons, Sandwich Nights, Nights of Zero Laughs, homoerotic beauty pageants, and spontaneous haircuts. And those moments aren't even on this list.
TCGS has a backlog of episodes that demands to be explored. This list is a small primer of the show's 165-episode output. There are plenty more episodes aside from these, and in the wide array of shows there is something for nearly everyone.
This list will be a mixture of their public access output and their recent string of episodes on the Fusion network. It's not necessarily a definitive top 15, but rather a mixture of some that have been universally regarded as "fan favorites" and episodes that I look at with a personal fondness. Either way, they are absolutely worth a watch.
15. Five Word Life Story With Kumail Nanjiani
The episodes on Fusion are really only different from the public access episode in their timing. Aside from a more regimented opening monologue, a twenty minute running time, and musical guests placed towards the end of the show, TCGS still has its spirit intact.
The premise of the episode is simple: people call in and sum up their life stories in five words or less. A notion that would dig up a lot more depressing statements in the public access days, but actually makes way for a lot more joy this time around. The conversations with the callers is so amiable and natural that it looks like old friends shooting the breeze.
On top of all of this, comedian Kumail Nanjiani delivers a guest appearance that makes one think he has been a part of the show from its inception. His willingness to participate in the show makes for some of the best moments of the season. For instance, the swift drop of excitement in Nanjiani when he enters a wind tunnel device that rewards a random audience member with their own billboard in the middle of New Mexico.