I am Eddie Pepitone, Comedian and subject of Doc Film “The Bitter Buddha”. Ask me anything.

EDDIE! It's your estranged brother FREDDIE PEPITONE! Thought you could hide from me? Too bad - I'm VERY active in the Reddit community! I saw that fuckin movie you did and it was VERY insulting to our proud family. I came all the way down from the sugar factory in White Plains where I work an honest American job, to a hip fucking picture theatre they stuck right on the East River - all to see you stink it up like a feature-length metaphor for the decline and degradation of our once-proud nation. God fuck you, you miserable sack of corn syrup! Also, say hi to little sis for me and tell her our falling-out DOES NOT necessarily include her!

freddie u r a fucking blight on our nation, our planet and most of all our family. please pick up milk on your way home i'm making us milk balls tonight.

Huge Fan Mr. Pepitone!

My question is, when will you be back on The Todd Glass Show?

The Bailouts need their leader.

PS. Vicodin.... Maybe I am a little sore.

yes. i will be doing todd's podcast soon, i'm sore too!

Eddie, what's your current health and financial situation?

(HUGE fan, thanks for doing this)

poor on both accounts. didn't u see my conditions for this session? goddamnit ( jk).

Thanks everyone. Had a great time with this Reddit bullshit. Now off to liposuction and career day!

if you could have sex with any woman, living or dead, who it would it be and why?

probably my mother because she treated me poorly and i'd like to get back at her.

Hi Eddie! Welcome and thanks for doing this. How do you feel about improv comedy?

improv is great to a point but it's only the beginning in one's comedy career. write!

Hello Eddie. Are there any lesser-known, or even well-known comedians you like and would suggest for us to watch?

i love the In Laws with Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, Steve Coogan's allan partridge, can't think of others right now.... shit.

Eddie, I feel the ever tightening grip of death cold upon my throat. Should I buy an ipad to help me forget, even for a fleeting moment, my own inevitable end, or would a bigger tv help more?

i think a bigger t.v with a cuddle blanket and soft foods.

do you take into consideration accessibility and audience reception when writing jokes or do you just focus on making yourself laugh?

really good question. i like making myself laugh, then usually audience does, if i'm not laughing they probably aren't.

Eddie can you please go on duncan's podcast again because that was amazing!! Also, how is your spiritual growth/meditation and whatnots being affected by your busy schedule at the moment? Love you lots mang!! <3

love duncan and i will do that again. been busy touring. and yes the busy schedule has fucked me up as far as spiritual practice, i am much too involved in the 'real' world. ha!

I listen to a lot of podcasts. You appear on almost all of them.

What is your favorite podcast to appear on?

I'd have to say Dana Gould and Todd Glass!

Apologies if this question will be answered when I finally get to see the movie!

You've always struck me in the many interviews I've seen you give, to be far more concerned with making the person you're talking to feel appreciated/comfortable/funny than you are with ego or having the last word. If I'm perceiving that correctly, do you partially fault that instinct for keeping you from plunging your sword into the heart of show-biz ultra-mega-success, or do you credit it for the enormous success you've already achieved?

Also, when are your Good Cop/Bad Cop tweets going to become a web series already! Love you (smooches).

aww thanks, yea i find that my humanity has stopped me from being more successful AND is the reason i have any success at all. also hoping to have all tweets turned into something big.

If you had to heckle former Mayor Ed Koch from a window in Queens, what would you say?

hey you dead fuck! what the fuck was up with your mayoral term? nice job asshole.

hey eddie, I'm coming to see you at soho theatre, will you be doing new material?

definitely! working on it now. should be interested, i am psyched of london.

yes! writing it now. new new new.

Hi Eddie! If you could say one thing to the president, what would it be?

Be like FDR and welcome the wrath of the rich, also watch out behind u sir.

How has your relationship with Karen affected your comedy?

great question. i think it's settled me down and made me stronger on stage.

When you think of career success, what do you think of?

just being able to do my work without having to worry, having my own t.v. show where i play a lot of characters, and movies. shit hope that happens.

What's the best/worst part about traveling the country with the director of your documentary?

i love steve and the company. road can be lonely. worst part is steve is a mass murderer.

do you think twitter has had a big impact on your success?

it's definitely helped! but i can never really tell u know?

Hey Eddie, I saw you in Philly a while back when you called out a girl in the audience for being "literally asleep." Highlight of the night was the "you heckle yourself" bit.

What's going on in your mind during that bit? Is it like any other rehearsed part of your act? Because it seems like you legit become two different people and it's so fucking awesome.

P.S. you've favorited 2 of my tweets to you and that ranks way too high on my "list of accomplishments."

you know i love when i become 2 people in the heckle, i get close to losing my mind but it's fun. i eventually want to lose my mind in that bit! ha!

Hey Eddie! I'll ask you what a dozen people are bound to: any advice for comics just gettings started?

you have to perform a shitload! perform all the time. that's it.

are you bitter towards kermit for cutting you from the muppets?

that green fuck better watch his ass.

Hey Eddie. I've never been on Reddit before. I'm here for you. Here's the thing...I'm getting the feeling with Reddit that I've hit a whole new level of internet loneliness.

oh my god that's funny. me too.

I saw your documentary premiere in L.A. It was amazing, and I really empathize with your entire situation... I was kinda too awkward to talk to you, but I guess I have the guts to ask you over Reddit:

I did some art pieces back in 2004 in my first year of college, and they've been sitting in my closet since then. I figured you might appreciate them more than I have been.. I'd love to give these to you. Is there some way I can mail them to you? Maybe give them to you at a show you might be doing soon?

ahh yea! maybe at a show! in l.a.? look for my schedule. would love it.

I read somewhere that the owners of the building the Puddin' strip is filmed in have no idea you guys are using it as a filming location. Is that still the case and how are you pulling that off? Also, will there ever be a strip that's longer than 30 seconds?

ha! not true. but that sounds cool. yes there is a long puddin in the works, stay tuned!

If you could do it all over in your life, what would you do differently? or would do anything differently?

Thanks for doing this!

I think i would be an architect who specializes in flying buttresses. I love those fucking things. maybe i would've been a great bike mesenger but i could never find the right bag or bike.

Hey Eddie! I'm a huge fan.

I am so amazed when you do directionless angry rants. The ones where you never actually get anywhere... you just keep going on tangents and never come to a point. I think it's such a brilliant way to show the absurdity of anger. It needs no true cause.

Do you know the bits I mean?

My question: How much of those rants are improvised? Do you have any plan or list in your mind?

You know that is my favorite thing as well. I love love to just go and let my anger and subconcious take me anywhere, i love doing them on wtf live and in my act , it's pretty much 90% improv.

Eddie, what was the strangest aspect of having a documentary made about you?

feeling like i didn't deserve it.

Have you ever had an encounter with someone after one of your shows where they were very hostile and angry about a joke you did?

Also, how often do you get hatemail for Puddin' ?

you know i have been amazingly free of hateful people by and large , I think they know i hate myself enough for both of us.

Why haven't you been on the Long Shot lately?!

i have been travelling my ass off and scheduling has been difficult.

Edward, do you ever get the urge to just smack Maron in the mouth?

marc is a great foil for me.

What will be the one sign to you that you've "made it"?

that's a good question. i want a t.v. show and roles in movies. but everytime i think i've made it, i feel like i haven't, u know?

Hey Eddie, I think you're one of the funniest comedians out today. As a veteran, what's your craziest road experience?

feeling such intense love in Oslo! that was amazing. also Edinburgh Scotland blew my mind.

Eddie, I have Timmy in my basement. I bought eggs. 79 of them and am making him eat every last one. Be right back. Must slaughter royalty.

timmy is lactose intolerant. be careful. hi stirling.

you seem so nice in interviews, does your on stage persona ever creep into your real life

ha! yes sometimes i have a bad temper ( i'm sicilian) but i try to be sweet. the world fucking annoys me. but i try to see the beauty.

Hi Eddie, I've seen you perform many times in LA, I've always wondered to you write most of your material before you go up on stage or are you mostly riffing?

i love to riff, i have some structures but riffing is what i live for. puts me in the moment.

Eddie, how did Puddin' come to be and do you write any?

matt oswalt who sits next to me not saying a word writes all of it = his idea, he wrote for me sooo great. i write some!

Eddie, how'd you get such awesome stars like Robin Williams on your show Puddin?

l.a. i s really a small town. robin saw me perform and dug me and we coaxed him to do it. also patton oswalt helps a lot!

Big fan!

I feel like you have always been known as a "comedian's comedian", which to me is someone that is extremely funny but doesn't appeal to a large audience. Do you agree with that characterization?

yes that's pretty much it. but the larger audience thing is a must which i am working on , even though i hate the masses.

Are you and Marc Maron getting along ok? There were a couple times during the documentary that it seemed like he was resenting you a bit, though I'm not sure if it was just deadpan. Why do comedians resent each other's success?

that's marc's way of loving! i think comedians resent each other's success because it's so damn competitive and hard that when someone gets some success it hurts.

Where do you find the motivation and energy to get out of bed every single fucking day?

i love bed. i hate getting out of it but usually am forced to by the fucking world.

Hi Eddie, thanks for doing this! What's your favorite episode of Puddin'?

Mine is this one.

dana gould hammers a watch i had up my ass. or koechner and dana fucking me in ass.

Hey Eddie I've been doing comedy for awhile now I was wondering if you had any advice on developing a unique point of view or persona?

that will happen as u perform more and more and find it. it take a while, i used to think i was a cleaning woman 10 years ago.

What are your opinions on George Carlin and Bill Hicks? Would you cite them as inspirations and which other comedians from that philosophical viewpoint would you suggest we check out?

both of them influenced me greatly. Hicks was so inspiring the way he would call out people and policies and ditto carlin. they paved way.

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it took me 25 years no shit. and i always resist the mainstream but sometimes to my detriment and it is tough as the masses clamor for shit.

Hi Eddie. When can we buy the movie on dvd? Also; what does Conan O'Brien smell like?

dvd i'm not sure follow me and will let u know. O'brien smells like success.

Eddie, you've earned the sobriquet 'The Bitter Buddha'. Do you personally have much of a relationship with Buddhism, or spiritual practice in general?

my discipline is terrible but i try to meditate and take in all the principles of buddhism through books, need to do more. love the book "I Am That" and Path With A Heart.

Eddie, you're one of the funniest standups I've ever heard. Any offers to do an hour from Comedy central, HBO, etc. since the doc? You deserve it.

thank you. i have to be more disciplined in getting an hour together for them. also comedy central is a little ageist ( i.e. their demo is 14 year olds).

Eddie, if you could save only one of your cats, which one would it be and why?

ha! that is a funny question. I would save sherman because he's the youngest and has a civil war name.

Hey Eddie. Did you get to see the albino squirrels last time you were in Toronto? If not, you gonna check them out this time?

loved them.

Eddie - Saw you in Seattle and loved the movie. How hard is it for you, now that you're touring, to be away from your adorable kitty cat?

i hate being away from the cats, really they are home.

Hi Eddie! Your work on stage is often very self-deconstructive. Between psychoanalysis and Buddhism, which do you find to be a bigger component in the way you take yourself apart comedically?

Thanks for doing this, and namaste motherfucker.

great question! i feel psychoanalysis is more about getting to know my shitty ego and fears and buddhism helps clear space for new shit!

Hi Eddie, you are hilarious and refreshingly unique. Besides Conan and the weather, why live in LA vs. NY?

l.a. for t.v. and film. i could probably do it from nyc too but i live there for 40 years and wanted a change.

Who comes up with your bits on Conan? How much is improvised?

the writers there all know me for years and they all write for me. Brian Stack has written the most for me over there. sometime i'll improvise a little but not much.

How do you feel about your newest wtpod appearance? Marc was rough on you.

that's the way it goes, i like getting into it with marc, he challenges me. i also want to kill him.

Eddie, when you write, do you compartmentalize? By that I mean does the twitter stuff stays on twitter, sketch and stand-up separate? Or does it bleed into one big bucket of Pepitone that goes back and forth between all of your endeavours?

it's usually a blend, i try to take the bucket of pepitone with me wherever i go but each form is it's own thing.

your standup seems very off the cuff, how much rehearsal or prep do you do?

i am an off the cuff guy which can lead to disaster but it's the only way i can work.

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i can't make screening in denver because i am doing Melbourne comedy fest, but i will be doing denver maybe in june, i want out there. what are good small rooms there?

I first want to say that I'm a huge fan sir, both in size and enthusiasm.

Are you surprised more people have not adopted the same format as Puddin' IE doing a daily short video all set in the same sort of narrative universe?

yea a little bit, seems so perfect for the internet.like a comic strip video.

hi eddie! who were your three favorite comedians growing up?

i met you briefly while working for another guy who wanted to make a documentary about you. told you i was a big fan and you almost immediately asked me if i liked Puddin'. you were super nice and I'm glad that that other guy didn't end up making the doc about you, because he would have fucked it up!

3favs: richard pryor, george carlin and mama cass before the sandwich incident.

Eddie, I love you on podcasts, including your podcast The Long Shot but it's been quiet the last few weeks without you. Will you be returning when press for The Bitter Buddah dies down?

i am on the last one with bobcat and will be on as much as my schedule permits which has been intense!

Ever since you mentioned Tommy Tiernan on Maron's Podcast, I can't stop thinking about how amazing it would be to see both of you performing at the same venue! Any plans on returning to Ireland for some gigs?

I am doing Galway in October. It would be too amazing for me to be on a bill with Tommy Tiernan. He's the best.

I can't wait for the screening in Chicago in March. Any chance of doing a set in Chicago while you're here?

Also, any more voice work we should keep an ear out for? Take care Eddie, I'm a big fan.

looking forward to chicago and i wll do a set somewhere. will let people know. follow me on twitter etc.

Dear Eddie, The day I discovered your twitter account was one of the greatest days of my life. Can you tell me about the greatest day of your life?

awww thanks! my greatest day was watching my dentist collapse in front of me before he could get started on a root canal. i snuck out of there!

LOVED the fact that you were in Old School! How was acting in the same scenes with Vince and Will?

man that was a great experience. I'm funnier than both of them however.

Eddie, I LOVED the movie and The Long Shot (it's a podcast folks!). How are you doing with your veganism?

I'm doing good with veganism! so many cool substitutes for meat and dairy, travelling though is difficult to stick with it but i do my best.

I've heard you were (unsurprisingly) well-received in the UK. I think it's because they have a higher tolerance for intelligent, original comedy and that they love it when an American really SOUNDS American (like, for example, Bill Hicks - in both instances). What do you think the appeal is and are you gonna spend some more career there (they'd love you on panel shows)?

i so want to do more UK- doing 3 weeks at Soho Theatre may 6-25th and am looking forward to see how it develops over there. also doing Galway in october. I think you're right they love genuine american angst.

Who writes your hecklings?

my subconcious.

your known as the comic's comic, do you think. too much success would change that.

I'm don't think so, my success is predicated on just doing what i do. that will never change depending on my meds.

Was the documentary your idea?

no! it was the director's steven feinartz.

so how long until we see you starring in movies?

man i hope soon.

Two Parter: Hi Eddie - it's me: Derek the long-haired Canadian fellow from the "Bob & Derek" vodcast. Can I have a couple comps to your upcoming show in Toronto and if not, why?

2nd Question: It's kind of inappropriate to request that here, isn't it...?

Hi others. SEE "THE BITTER BUDDHA" - IT'S BRILLIANT!!!

hey derek! how are u! had to cancel toronto! scheduling conflict, be there soon hopefully.

Hi Eddie, I met you after a screening in St. Louis and asked you point blank to be in a short film I was making. We would have loved to actually have you in it and I really want to work with you in the future! I don't really have a question, just thanks for being one of my favorite comedians ever!

aww yea, i am up for stuff like that it was just not the right time!

Why specifically did you stop smoking weed? (You are amazing)

started getting panic attacks and started eating bundt cakes.