Pete Holmes: Comedy! Sex! God!

May 14, 2019

Stand-up comedian and spiritual seeker Pete Holmes shares his journey from an evangelical upbringing to questioning his faith and embracing self-acceptance. He delves into how his family shaped his comedic voice and the intersection of spirituality, creativity, and sexuality. Expect a mix of humor and philosophy as he discusses the transformative power of love, the complexities of navigating shame, and the importance of vulnerability in storytelling. Plus, he introduces his new book, 'Comedy Sex God', blending personal insights with light-hearted reflections.

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ANECDOTE

Parental Influences

Pete Holmes inherited comedic inspiration from both parents, his dad's stage presence and his mom's honesty.
His mom's unexpected honesty and bewilderment at others' reactions shaped his comedic style.

INSIGHT

The "What Is This?" Question

Pete Holmes' childhood wonder about existence led him to seek answers in unconventional places.
This "what is this?" curiosity shaped his spiritual seeking and comedic approach.

ANECDOTE

Mushrooms and the Divine

A mushroom trip at Bonnaroo was Pete Holmes' first experience of the divine, something beyond language.
This experience opened him to new spiritual possibilities, including rethinking the Bible.

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Comedian! Writer! Author! Spiritual seeker!

One of my favorite people, Pete Holmes needs no introduction. But I'm going to give it to you anyway.

A stand up veteran with a cornucopia of comedy specials, television shows and late night appearances to his name, Pete is best known as the creator and star of the semi-autobiographical HBO show Crashing, a riotous and touching series he executive produced alongside Judd Apatow loosely based on Pete’s life in the early days of his comedy career.

In addition, Pete hosts You Made It Weird – hands down one of my absolute favorite podcasts (I was honored to be a guest) — and is the author of the brilliant and just released Comedy Sex God*. Part autobiography, part philosophical inquiry, part sacred quest, I can't recommend this book more highly. Equally hilarious and profound, it hits bookstores everywhere this week. Pick it up immediately*. Read. Ponder. Thank me later.

A long-time fan of Pete's, we were first introduced by our mutual friend (and former podcast guest) Rob Bell. From that moment forward I have yearned to get this fellow traveler on the show. It finally happened. And the experience is everything I hoped it would be.

Comedy. Sex. God. And everything in between. We cover it all.

We discuss his evangelical upbringing and how his failed attempt to live up to picture perfect standards forced him to question his faith and re-examine long-held beliefs, catalyzing the soul-seeking journey he has pursued ever since.

We talk comedy and creativity. How he squares Christianity with alternative faith modalities. And what he has learned spending time with spiritual savants like Ram Dass and experimenting with psychedelics.

We explore how fatherhood has impacted his spiritual and professional perspective. What it's like working with Judd Apatow. The experience of being a celebrity with a big show on HBO. And, more importantly, what happens when that show suddenly goes away.

But mostly, this is a beautiful exploration of the messy, confusing, wonderful, mysterious, disorienting thing we call life.

You can watch the entire conversation on YouTube at bit.ly/peteholmes441 (please subscribe!)

As Pete would say, GET INTO IT!

Peace + Plants,

Rich