Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma

About Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma

chin-wag: to have a chat, a friendly conversation. Actor Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma, author and philosopher, join forces for a freewheeling series of conversations that dive deep (like, really, really deep) into the wilderness of the mind. Featuring prominent guests from diverse fields, Chinwag is esoteric in the best way possible, as Paul and Stephen delve into anything and everything: Are we living in a simulation? What’s the most perfect sentence in literature? Is Bigfoot interdimensional? Science, the occult, philosophy, magic mushrooms… it’s all fair game! Unexpected, hilarious, and maybe even profound — Chinwag is all about having a really, really good chat. Send your stories, Qs, or thoughts to 📧 questions [at] chinwagpod [dot] fm ========= Make sure to follow us @chinwagpod 👉🏼 YT: https://www.youtube.com/@chinwagpod IG: https://www.instagram.com/chinwagpod/ Tik: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinwagpod Website: http://chinwagpod.fm =========

Publisher

Treefort Media & Touchy Feely Films

Category

history · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

9 Feb 2023

Latest episode

26 Feb 2025

Latest episodes

89 of 136 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   26 Feb 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Final Wag

   Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma, professor and author, discuss a wide range of topics from literature to science in their final episode, offering a unique blend of philosophy and entertainment

2. 

   19 Feb 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Philosophy of Film 101 with Bill Hader

   🎞️🪖🤡 The incredible Bill Hader drops by Office Hours to dig deep into film, philosophy, and all the weird stuff in between. He breaks down how Taxi Driver and The Thin Red Line made a mark on his psyche, why horror movies are masters at playing with tension, and how directors like Sam Fuller and Terrence Malick weave big existential questions into their work. Bill and Stephen also dive into the murky morality of Barry, the blurred lines between good and evil, and why we’re all a little obsessed with antiheroes like Tony Soprano and the Joker. Bill opens up about his true crime fixation and how filmmakers like Kubrick and the Coen Brothers use dark humor to explore life’s chaos. From cosmic horror to cinematic villains, this episode is packed with laughs, wild insights, and plenty of deep dives into why movies mess with our heads in the best way possible. Paul Giamatti is a Golden Globe award-winning actor and producer. Stephen Asma is a professor and author specializing in the philosophy of science, religion, and art. Bill Hader is an actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director. He rose to fame on Saturday Night Live and co-created and starred in the acclaimed, Emmy Award winning HBO series Barry. 🎞️🪖🤡 ========= Make sure to follow us @chinwagpod 👉🏼 IG: https://www.instagram.com/chinwagpod/ Tik: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinwagpod Website: http://chinwagpod.fm YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chinwagpod Send your stories, Qs, or thoughts to 📧 questions [at] chinwagpod [dot] fm ========= Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3. 

   12 Feb 2025TRANSCRIPT

   CHINWAG LIVE: He Said Droids, Not Druids!

   🐢🎸🌆 Paul and Stephen’s Q&A at Harvard! Megaliths! French comics where Gauls endlessly pummel Romans. Paul’s unexpected relationship with the theremin. And the big question—should Paul and Stephen finally start their paranormal blues band? Theremin, guitar… what more do you need? Let us know in the comments if you’d give that album a listen. Plus, will today’s skyscrapers become the megaliths of the future? And stay tuned for a special treat—live from Sketchfest in San Francisco, Stephen sits down with Beth Lisick and Arline Klatz at the iconic Great American Music Hall for their fantastic Porchlight Storytelling Series. Stephen shares a pretty wild story that of course combines extreme sledding, the Great Wall of China, and male enhancement. You know the drill, Waggers! Paul Giamatti is a Golden Globe award-winning actor and producer. Stephen Asma is a professor and author specializing in the philosophy of science, religion, and art. 🐢🎸🌆 ========= Make sure to follow us @chinwagpod 👉🏼 IG: https://www.instagram.com/chinwagpod/ Tik: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinwagpod Website: http://chinwagpod.fm YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chinwagpod Send your stories, Qs, or thoughts to 📧 questions [at] chinwagpod [dot] fm ========= Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside a recent episode

The Final Wag

Published 26 Feb 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And then there's this guy who's walking around doing all this theater stuff. And then it sometimes almost seems hard to kind of line them up as the same guy. That's crazy. That's some weird way. Yeah. But no, he did. And there's a really great book that I read once called The Lager, which is one guy really trying to recreate Shakespeare's world. And at one time, he came to London and he was writing and he lived in this house in London with these people who were Haberdashers, who made sort of hats and things like that. And he lived upstairs and paid rent. And it's the one example they have of him that is him talking and being recorded as talking as William Shakespeare as an actual person, not a letter or anything, because he took part in a court case that was happening between these people who owned the place where he was staying and somebody else they were having. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,720,781

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

1,939 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

1,284 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 98 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

99

Social presence

97

YouTube

93

Engagement

99

Contact Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma