S4 Episode 109 - Partying Like It's 1999

Obscure with Michael Ian Black

Misfit Toys

Books, Comedy, Literature, Audiobooks, Arts, Alternative Comedy

4.8 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

First off, your host doesn't party. Didn't party in 1999 and doesn't party now, so the title was, we're sorry to report, a lie. Even so, some late 20th century memories are returning to this 21st century babe, which involve living back in NYC after a multiple-decade absence. One can feel mighty alone, even when surrounded by people. You know who's aware of that more than even your host? Mr. Clyde Griffiths, now on the run and unable to confess his fears to anyone, not even dear Sondra Finchley .

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Your first great love story is free when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.co.
0:05.5	That's audible.co.uk slash wondery.
0:10.8	From my efficiency apartment here in New York City, this is obscure season four, an American
0:27.8	tragedy.
0:28.4	I'm your host, your friend, your ear lover, and literary mansplainer-in-chief.
0:33.6	Michael Ian Black, enjoying my time in the Big Apple.
0:39.3	It's an interesting return for me.
0:41.9	I haven't lived here for this length of time since, as I said in the last episode,
0:47.3	I think, you know, 1998 or 1999 or so, and certain things are coming back to me
0:53.1	as I spend my days and nights here in
0:58.0	Metropolis.
0:58.8	First of all, I'm reminded of, I guess, when I was in my 20s and walking around the city
1:05.9	all day.
1:06.6	And at the end of the day, what would happen is I would feel tired, tired, physically tired,
1:14.2	from walking all day long, walking, walking, walking.
1:17.3	Well, the other day, I was with Martha, and we were walking, walking, walking, and at the end of the day,
1:22.6	I had 19,000 steps, according to my telephino.
1:26.5	And the fact of the matter is, I was exhausted.
1:30.3	My legs hurt, and it summoned a sense memory that I'd utterly forgotten about,
1:38.3	which is all the days and nights of my youth when I lived here and would have similar exertions and would feel similarly
1:49.6	at the end of the day.
1:50.6	It was just a weird sense memory to float back into my brain and it took me back to that
	...

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