Rhett Miller Really Hates That Brass Cat
The Hilarious World of Depression
American Public Media
4.8 • 4.4K Ratings
🗓️ 2 January 2018
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
If you've ever heard this show before, you've heard singer-songwriter Rhett Miller. He wrote and performs the theme song about "the world's greatest clown." On this episode, Rhett tells of his teenage suicide attempt, a mysterious illness, his musical salvation, and his grandmother's owl fixation. He even brought his guitar along and performs a few songs.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | I'm Cameron Espazito and I have a lot of jobs. I'm an actor. You've seen me on ABC's and a million little things. |
| 0:04.8 | I'm a stand-up comic bestselling author, but I am no expert at survival. |
| 0:08.5 | On my new podcast Survivor Diet trying, we're going to learn together from shark attacks to |
| 0:13.8 | tsunamis and bad breakups. This is your one-stop shop to prepare for the absolute worst-case scenario. |
| 0:20.0 | Join me and some special guests on Survivor Diet trying a comedy podcast that prepares you for anything. |
| 0:26.4 | Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:30.0 | Is depression funny? I think that what comes from depression is some of the funniest stuff in the |
| 0:37.3 | world. My friends that are comedians use their depression as grist for a meal that turns out |
| 0:44.6 | the most brilliant comedy that keeps the world laughing and smiling. So eventually depression |
| 0:53.7 | is funny. But when you're enveloped in a cloud of it, there's nothing funny about it. |
| 1:23.7 | I'm not wrong with me, I've got a sadness I can't shake now. Is there something I can't take now? |
| 1:33.7 | Doctor Hez and thinks as he might know just the thing there's a performer here and down and he's the world greatest clown. |
| 1:48.7 | After as we all know is the best medicine. The guy says dark that's the problem. |
| 1:59.7 | What if I was to tell you I'm piacin? |
| 2:07.5 | And this great big smile is just for show. |
| 2:11.1 | What if I was to tell you this is just grease paint? Would you say I'm a hopeless case? |
| 2:23.5 | Say it ain't so. Would you say I'm a sad clown? Tell me something I don't know. |
| 2:33.1 | It's the hilarious world of depression. I'm John Moe. We talk to funny creative people who have dealt with this. |
| 2:40.9 | That way we can have a pleasant time, learn some things and not feel so alone. |
| 2:46.9 | My guest on this episode is someone you've heard on every episode we've done. You've heard him singing. But he talks too. |
| 2:54.9 | My name is Rhett Miller. I sing in a band called Old 97's as well as make solo music and write things. |
| 3:00.9 | And I am right now in a studio at the Harvard Public Affairs and Communications building in Cambridge, Massachusetts. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from American Public Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of American Public Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

