Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - The Conan and Jordan Show – Consumer Watchdog

Episode Date: February 14, 2025

On this episode of “The Conan and Jordan Show”, Conan and Jordan discuss Conan’s Hot Ones experience and their birthdays. Jordan debuts his new “Consumer Watchdog” segment. Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/conan.

["Mean Means Dry"] A Monday warrior, mean, mean, stride. Today's Tom Sawyer, mean, mean, cry. Yes, hey there. If you're hearing that song, it means it's the Conan and Jordan show. That's correct. You know, as I was listening to that song,

something occurred to me. Bye, let's give him a shout out. By Rush. I believe, listening to it, that that's the 2015 Sean McGee remaster. He works at Abbey Road Studios. He did the Beatles 2009 CD set. Anyway, it's got good dynamic range, but I just thought of a new show.

You know, I have a hobby that you may not be aware of. I collect various CD pressings from all over the world. I didn't know that. Yeah, so modern music is generally standardized and whatever country you live in, you're getting the same CD quality. But back in the 80s and 90s, CDs in different countries had different sounds,

they were mastered by different people, and I always pick my favorite. I've spent many thousands of dollars on this hobby. I have my favorite versions of moving pictures. In fact, the Atomic CD from Mercury with the Matrix number ending from three to five is my favorite. Anyway, so here's my idea.

Can I just say one thing? I don't believe in judging other people's passions, but that's a stupid hobby. Because no one listens to CDs anymore, it's an outmoded, I'm not done yet. Well, you like music. And if I tell you I can give you the best Beatles pressing, whatever you're listening to Rubber Soul on,

I can give you a better version of Rubber Soul, okay? I would take the 1965 stereo two-cut vinyl pressing by a certain vinyl ripper that I know. But my whole point is- I think you are the ripper. My point is, Jordan, before you get into your idea, I just wanna slow you down, because you came out of the gate hot.

Yes, well, I was inspired. You were like a bucking bronco. We play that song because that's one of your, your favorite band is Rush. Yes. And you got to know them because of the fame that you accrued on my show, you got to know Rush.

And they actually let you come out at one of their concerts on stage with them, which I imagine was- A couple. Yeah, okay. Well, one time you were invited and the other times you sort of rushed the stage. But my point, and I'm getting to my point,

is that you heard, that's why we play the Rush song up top is because you're a fanatic for it. But then you launch in this whole thing about CDs, everyone, every audio file agrees that CD is not the way to listen to music. Respond. Okay, well, this is a cliche and a theory

by those that are uneducated. Sometimes a vinyl pressing will sound- You're calling Neil Young uneducated? Jack White uneducated? I know Neil- These are master musicians. Neil Young uneducated? Jack White uneducated? I know- These are master musicians. Neil Young appreciates the value of dynamic range. It was featured heavily in his Pono music service.

Nevertheless, sometimes the format itself is mostly irrelevant, okay? What is relevant is the particular mastering. So sometimes the CD will have the better mastering, sometimes the vinyl will have the better mastering. I have so much to say on this subject. I know you do. I'm here to help you.

First of all, you understand that the point of doing a show on the radio like this is to get people to listen, okay? Get them hooked. You are driving them out right now. So say you, there are people, there's a community. I am part of online forums. There's a community of people like me out there.

Oh, I know you're a part of online forums. There's a community of people like me out there. I know you're a part of online forums. And I know that you guys- It's called the Jordan Schlansky Music Hour, okay? I bring in my extensive collection of music. This is the Conan and Jordan show. No, I am talking, do you need content for this station? Because I have an idea, this is free content. I do an hour every week,

and I play my favorite pressings of different songs. John Pars, St. Elmo's Fire, do you know that the first note is up cut on most of the CD releases? However, there's one particular one where the note is intact. Don't you think your viewers would wanna hear that? Okay, I'm just turning to our SXM official in the room.

Identify yourself, sir, if you don't mind, very quickly. Andrew Groose. Andrew Groose. Andrew Groose. Andrew, and just, and be completely honest, because you guys run a business at SXM, is what Jordan's pitching of interest to you. It feels a little niche, but I'm willing to hear an hour. Yeah. Oh my gosh.

But I also have facts about these songs that people don't understand. Jesus, that is not what I wanted, Groose. Groose, that was your chance to shut, that was your chance to put out a forest fire. I have some things to say about Andrew Groose since we've brought him up. I love Andrew Groose, by the way. Now here's why I think Andrew Groose has such charisma and is such a compelling person, okay?

Physically, he's a very powerful man, powerful and imposing, I think we'll all agree. Are you like six, six, six, seven? Okay, he's six, six, seven. He's got a great musculature. All right, go easy. His posture is- I thought you were married, okay? Yeah, seven? Okay, he's six, six, seven. He's got a great musculature. All right, go easy. His posture is- I thought you were married, okay?

Yeah, okay, so his posture is solid. He feels like he would not blow over. But he is the sweetest, most gentle guy. And I think it's- Are you gonna use the term gentle giant? Yeah, he's a gentle giant, but it's his sweetness in combination with his physical nature

that makes him so fascinating. And it reminds me of kind of Michael Crawford, the original Phantom of the Opera, who starred in 1986 in the West End and then moved to Broadway in 1988. Listen, he was a menacing character, okay? And he was terrifying, but he had an effeminate voice. When he would sing high, those notes,

it's kind of like early Billy Joel before cigarettes got to him. If you look at the 1975, Old Grey Whistle test performance of Piano Man, his voice is so pure and high. And it's that combination of the masculine, rough and tumble nature with that. Frank, that's not helping.

You know, that's just, that's cruel. And that's an old cliche of this falling asleep. And we're not gonna do that here. We're gonna rise above that. I'm just gonna tell him to shut his yap. You've gotta stop. Now, Jordan. Yes.

I like, this seems to be a back and forth. And I feel what's happening here is I take the tennis ball and I hit it over to your side across the net and you grab it and you shove it up your ass and walk away. There's no back and forth here. I'm saying- So let's not do that. Let's have a real conversation. But I think we should have free time.

Like I know you have scheduled things, an agenda, if you will, but I think we should leave time to just discuss things that are interested, that we're interested by at any particular time. No, no, no, that one would find interesting, I think should be the key. Not just that you find interesting. Well, me and you,

because we are 50% stakeholders in this show, not financially, of course. Of course not, no. You'll never see a dime from this. But in terms of content, I would like to think. Let's talk about something that is relatable. Well, I have something I would like to ask you. Why is it that you wear that same shirt on every episode?

Oh, yes, the famous practice of Albert Einstein. Excuse me, it's Einstein. Oh, no, it's Einstein. No, he was a German. I know, but people just say Einstein. Well, I say Einstein in the country of Germany where he comes from. He said Einstein. You are not in Germany right now. You just say Einstein. I don't need to be in Germany. I know how to pronounce just say Einstein. Well, I say Einstein in the country of Germany where he comes from. He said Einstein.

You are not in Germany right now. You just say Einstein. I don't need to be in Germany. I know how to pronounce the man's name. It's Einstein. I've lived a good long life. I've spoken to many people. This great mind has come up many times.

I've never heard anybody say Einstein. Well, now you've heard it. All right. I wish I had a mild acid, a very mild acid that I could throw on you. As described by Jeff Goldblum in 1986's The Fly by David Cronenberg, Albert Einstein wore the same outfit every day

so he didn't have to devote mental energy into choosing his outfit. We are weakened by every decision we make. Steve Jobs did the same thing. He always wore the same outfit. It goes back to Albert Einstein. make. Steve Jobs did the same thing. He always wore the same outfit. It goes back to Albert Einstein. Einstein and Steve Jobs. But my point, Jordan, is that I see why they

didn't wanna devote valuable energy of the mind, but you have, I'm gonna put this in a way that's not insulting, but I would be okay with you using up some of your brain, not on Rush or on the best place to get a weird up cut of a CD for St. Elmo's Fire and a little more on just picking out a shirt. I'd be fine with that. I want to avoid the up cut. Nobody wants the up cut.

Everybody wants that solid first note. I'm fine with the St. Elmo's Fire that came out, right? You don't know what you're fine with. You take what you're giving. You subscribe to compressed music services. I like uncompressed high dynamic range music. Do you know the lyrics to St. Almost Fire? Yeah.

Let's hear them. What part would you like? Just go. Growing up. Well, you know what? We talked about- You got it or you don't have it? I could see a new horizon underneath the blazing sky.

I'll be where the eagles are flying higher and higher. You're under arrest. You're under arrest for knowing that much of it. And you know what? No judge will disagree with me. You know Charles in Charge. Charles in charge of our days and our nights. Charles in charge of our wrongs and our rights.

I want Charles in charge of me. Now it's cool that I know that. But do you know what I don't like? The second season of all the sitcoms, let's take Perfect Strangers, great theme song. Sometimes the world looks perfect. And then the second season, they always had to add this keyboard flourish

or look at growing pains, you know, show me that smile again. But the second season, Jennifer Warrens has to join and make it a duet. And she doesn't add, like her lyrics are the same lyrics that were originally there. She doesn't add anything. She just echoes the original lyrics. You know what I love?

The world right now, many people believe, is in a very dire position. War, violence, hatred, climate madness. We could be seeing the end of civilization as we know it. And you, these are the things that you wanna talk about. These are the things that you're impassioned about. Negativity doesn't lessen my passion for the things that I love.

And in fact, it enforces it. Yeah, no. Well, I admire that. I wanna talk about something, I agree with you about negativity. I'm gonna bring up a positive thing, which is that you and I both had birthdays last week. Yours was April 13th and mine was April 18th.

Did you have a nice birthday? My birthday was adequate. How did you celebrate it? You know, I'm a private man. Some say an introvert, some say an observer of humanity. I like to be the observer, not the observed. I don't typically publicize- I asked you how was your birthday?

And I get this weird, it's like you're reading from a Kafka novel. I am a man. You know, we see a man. What, why, why? Well, you know, I don't like to be celebrated in any way or acknowledge. Trust me, not a problem. Yeah. Not a problem.

Right. What I'm saying is I don't like any attention. Okay. I prefer to watch things unfold with sporadic participation, yet I don't like people to know things about me. And I don't like them to know when it's my birthday and I don't like any attention that I might receive should people know that it was my birthday. You like to peer at people like say through a window.

Would that be, is that where you're most comfortable doing? I mean, that's an analogy, I guess, that you wanna use. No, no, no. Not an analogy at all. Right. You're comfortable watching others from a distance and observing them. Right, you go on trips by yourself. I do.

Yeah, I'm an observer, I'm a student. I'm a perpetual student. How is your wife, because you are married somehow, and she's lovely, I don't understand, none of us, we're all baffled, and you have wonderful children. When you tell her, my dearest, love of my life, my companion, I'm off to Patagonia by myself

so I can look at people through windows, what does she say? You know, there are different people across this great planet and for any type of person, there's someone that adores them. I'll translate that, for every Mickey, there's a Minnie. Yeah. So you're saying your wife's cool with it.

She's probably quite eager. Does she get, do you notice palpable excitement when you say you're leaving for a while? What I'm saying is, while you may not appreciate all my nuances, there are people that do appreciate these things. Has anyone seen his wife? I haven't met her, she's lovely. Oh really? She's things. Has anyone seen his wife?

I haven't met her, she's lovely. Oh really? She's lovely, I've met his wife, yeah. And she's very nice. She's, you married well, Jordan, and she's a saint, my God. But she must have some system for you that I have not cracked yet,

where she gets you to be quiet. Because I haven't figured it out. Does she have a way, does she have a signal that she gives you? Does there a bucket she puts over your head? It's possible. A quiet time bucket? That there are some people that enjoy hearing

what I have to say. That's the funniest thing you've said in a while. Hey, let's talk birthday guests. Yes, yeah. So I'm, you know, I know what I'm doing here, but you go ahead, Frank. Oh, go ahead, go ahead. Well, first of all, did you know to hosting. Did you know it was his birthday

before you saw the news? Of course not. I was walking into the booth and you handed me a thing and said it was Jordan's birthday last week. By the way, I didn't hear from Jordan on my birthday. Yeah. So, you know. Yeah, well, I assume- Could you have sent me a message or something? Well, I assume you got a lot of attention on that day

and I'll save it till I see you and I can wish you a happy birthday in person. Well, I'm still waiting. Happy birthday. Thank you. That was worth the wait. But I am aware of your birthday. I'm aware of your, you know, April 18th, 1963.

Oh, great. I'm aware that you're an Aries audience. If you prefer the correct pronunciation. Would you say, no, people just say Aries. Yes, they do. But nevertheless, I'm aware of your birthday. What astrological sign was Einstein? Yes.

What I'm saying is on your birthday, I take a minute. He was a Taurus. Yes, that's Taurus, you know, Tauro in Spanish, or Italian, the bull Taurus. But my point is on your birthday, I did silently acknowledge to myself that it was your birthday.

Nice, that's what real good friends do. Yeah, and I said today is Conan's birthday. I could bring up something that, from the last episode, you talked about Conan ruining the Phantom Menace for you. Oh, yes, yes. The premiere of the Phantom Menace back in 1999, you told a harrowing tale

of how much you were looking forward to it, and you're sitting there and you're ready, and this is a big deal because it's the first Star Wars movie that's come out in a long time. One moment in particular that I had anticipated, one moment in time. Which was?

Which was that silence between the 20th Century Fox fanfare and the opening music by John Williams. All I wanted was that moment. All you wanted was that moment. Out of two hours, I wanted that one moment. Now what are the chances? Now can I just say, in the story you told, I enter right behind you and two seats have been saved

for me because of my status. And I could tell by the person you were with, you were there in an ironic fashion. You were there to kind of look at the fans and see how they react to the stimulus. No, no, no. I knew what was happening. It was an accident that I was placed right behind Jordan.

It was an accident. And then of course, you know, I have to lean forward. I seated Jordan's there. You have to lean forward. It's like some calling that you have. And I, you know, I'm doing, giving you a little free shtick, shtick that other people would pay top Moolah for.

You're getting for free. And you were enraged and said it ruined the experience. There's been a lot of fan response. Right, somebody did make the point of in hindsight, Conan was probably the best part of that screening. Not for me. What's your favorite part of that movie? The part where you weren't cracking jokes in my ear.

Okay, well anyway. If you're a fan out there and you ever want to watch that movie and you'd like me behind you, I'll do it for free. What I'm saying is I appreciate the place of humor in the world and certainly your humor, no question. But there are times where I wanna be emotionally moved. Do you like, is your brain, your brain fascinates me,

you're clearly an extraordinary man, okay? You know, there are times where you wanna look at a piece of art and be brought to tears. Do you want, do you cry at mood? Like, are you always cracking jokes in your head like with this ironic stance? Like if you feel emotion welling in you, do you have to pivot into like cynicism

and kind of like deconstructing in a comedic fashion? I don't think I'm a cynical person at all. Do you tear up at movies? Like when you watch Interstellar, the end of Interstellar for example. No, what are you talking about? I don't tear up at movies. I don't, no, I don't have time for that.

And I'm not gonna go look at a painting and go, boo hoo, that's not gonna happen to me, no. It's fascinating. I know our brains are wired differently. I just, I'm always curious as to the extent of it. So you don't put on movies. You don't- When I go to a museum,

when I go to a great museum and I'm walking, I'm thinking, what's funny about this? I'm not laughing. Where's the gags? Right. Do you know what I mean? I remember looking, I stared at Guernica for like half an hour? I'm not laughing. Where's the gags? Right. Do you know what I mean? I remember looking, I stared at Guernica

for like half an hour and I'm like, I don't get it. Nobody's laughing. And I've had that experience many times. I looked at Michelangelo's David. You probably have a very specific pronunciation from Michelangelo's David, don't you? Davide. Yeah.

I looked at Davide and I was like, I don't get it. It's a guy with his cock hanging out in the wind. What's the big deal? Where's the LaFerouz? That's me. What I'm saying is when you're alone and there's no audience, do you like, it's like late at night and you're watching like a movie,

like the unseen of Gladiator. Do you, are you like cracking jokes in your head? Yeah, look at him. At completely inopportune times. He's dying and it looks like they put him on a skateboard. Okay. And they're dragging him around. Oh yeah, I know the shot you're talking about.

Oh yeah, ha ha ha, he's got wheels on his back. Yeah. Ha ha, Russell Crowe, he's a skateboard. Hey, they should put UPS boxes on him and use him to move packages around. That's how they could use the Gladiator. Hey, he's dying, but hey, we can still move these boxes. Hee hee hee, that's a funny bit. I better call my writers and get them working on it.

The Gladiator, greatest way to move packages. See, that's your curse. You bring so much curse. Curse, curse, blessing, I say. You bring so much joy. You bring so much joy, and you have such an extraordinary mind. But your curse is you can't shut it off. And you're tortured 24-7 by cracking jokes,

by feeling the need to crack jokes at every emotional event that happens. Shutting it off, I mean, who wants to shut off Willy Wonka's chocolate fountain? Nobody! Don't you want to get lost in a beautiful moment? Oh, boo hoo. No, I don't want to get lost.

I want to GPS at all times. I don't, you're saying, oh, isn't it, the great tragedy of my life is that these gems sometimes have to stop. No, no one else is thinking that. Everyone else is saying, give me more of them gems. Yeah. You don't appreciate the gems?

I'm saying there's a time and a place for everything. There are times that I want gems and then there are times. A time to sow, a time to reap, a time for you to go to sleep, a time to refrain from embraces. Yeah. What do you got there, Frankie? You want a birthday gift? Oh, yeah. Look at that.

Well, that's- Jesus, you did that very well, Frank. Thank you. Frank was a magician's assistant for eight seconds before he was fired. You know, one- All right, now that's nice. You were wearing a nice hat.

That's right. One may think after so many decades that your extraordinary mind doesn't necessarily impress me on a daily basis Even I have thought these things sometimes but then every once in a while There's something like the hot ones appearance and I'm newly amazed all over again. I mean that was just a fantastic Master class. Oh, please. I mean there's so there's so much to say about it. I appreciated the show, I appreciated the host, I appreciated the quality of the host that reminded me of you back on the old late night show in that in the late night show you created a venue to showcase comedy and let that comedy shine

even if in that particular moment it wasn't you personally shining. Of course. And I think they have a great format, very clever in that it disarms the guest and presents more accurate depiction of the true guest. But they also, as much as their format, they're not rigid about their format. And they allowed you, they knew you came in with material. Your great strength was you were always there as much or as little as your guests needed you to be.

So if you had someone like Martin Short and Tom Hanks that came with material, you knew when to shut up and kind of let them do their thing. And if you're with someone that needed some assistance, you were there to give some support. And I think it's kind of the same thing. He knew that you came with material and he was happy to kind of let you run with it. And-

It's a great sleep machine, by the way. No, I mean- First of all, I thought the host was great. The host was obviously well-researched, which he didn't discuss. First of all, this is a compliment. Yes. Now, when he drones on, but it's a compliment, I let him go.

Yeah, well, we have free time on this show. We can, this is free time. This is part of, I have the floor. I have the floor. Whoa, hey. This is what I choose to talk about. You know what I love? You're demanding respect while wearing a pointy hat.

Yeah, but you, I love that you were demanding, I have the floor, I have the floor, and you're dressed like a jester, a chimp, a chump. You know what I mean? I love it, I love it. I will be taken seriously. Time to get in your clown car there, Binky. This show is a slow burn, okay?

We're not looking for like hit, hit, hit, hit. People are just driving, they enjoy just like human conversation. You see, here we are, here we are two men, and we're just talking. You keep saying we're men and you keep saying we're human. We're two men. We are relatable to humanity because they look at us.

They look at us and maybe we represent parts of their own psychology, and here we are interacting. What I'm saying is there are parts of us that are relatable to the listeners, and you may think there's an expectation that we have to keep things moving at a certain comedic pacing and I enjoy just talking to you.

Okay. Yeah. Well, I was gonna say the same. I think the- Well, Jose's lines are completely ad-libbed. Completely by him. Jose Arroyo, brilliant writer, who I brought in as Dr. Arroyo because I always liked him to play my doctor

in any kind of sketch. And that's Jose Arroyo and that was just all improv. But lines like it was supposed to be, you know, it was a four-year medic. 100% improv, great. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's the real deal. Great. Should we move on to the next segment?

We're gonna be right back with a new segment called Jordan Schlansky, Consumer Watchdog. ["Consumer Watchdog"] Watchdog. All right. You are listening to the Conan and Jordan show. Very few people I know spend more time assessing the products they use than Jordan Schlansky. Jordan, I credit you. Everything on your body, everything in your life, you put a lot of thought into it. So it's only natural that you would be a consumer watchdog.

So let's do a segment right now. Jordan Schlansky, consumer watchdog. And you have uncovered something today that you're gonna talk about. Would you like to? To echo what you said, I'm very particular about the products I use. I believe that one's life in part is defined

by the products that surround us. We spend hours with these things, maybe even years. And aesthetically speaking, I like to have objects of beauty and utility around me. Now, I choose my products very carefully and that is certainly true in the case of toilet paper. Now I've got some products here that I wanna talk about.

Wow. You know. That's a lot of toilet paper there. Yeah, well, I do buy toilet paper in bulk because, well, first of all, the need never goes away. Because you're a mad shitter. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha You're at 24 seven. Yeah, you don't have to stack it all up. Maybe that's a mistake. There you go.

All right, let's move that out of the way. So listen, I choose my toilet paper very carefully. And I like this to be a once in a lifetime endeavor. Okay, I don't need to re-choose my toilet paper every decade. Once you decide which toilet paper is yours. Why would I change? The conversations are.

Unless there's some new technology that needs to be introduced to the world. So many years ago, I sampled different toilet papers. There were the aesthetics, there was the design on the paper itself. Was it a quilt? Of course, these salt and- Where did you sample them? Were you in the aisle of the store with your pants down?

What were you- I'm just curious, what were you doing? How did you- Over time, I purchased different items. Oh, I see. And you would pay attention. I would pay attention. You didn't line up a bunch of toilet papers, eat 15 burritos, and then check all of them.

No, I did not. No. Okay. That's how I would have attention. You didn't line up a bunch of toilet papers, eat 15 burritos and then check all of them. No, I did not, no. Okay, that's how I would have done it, but anyway. I decided on a, on Charmin, at the time it was called, I believe Charmin Plus or Charmin Plus Lotion or Charmin Plus Alu and E. They've gone through many iterations of the name over the years and it was basically, they marketed it as having lotion in it.

The lotion was mainly mineral oil. Sure, they put some aloe in there just to say that they did, but the bulk of it was mineral oil, which is not an expensive addition. Nevertheless, when you're talking about friction, a situation which is inherently comprised of friction and abrasion.

What do you mean a situation? What I'm saying is the use of toilet paper, any physicist would know that the use of toilet paper involves friction. Two objects rubbing together, you're talking about abrasion, you're talking about erosion for all the environmentalists out there.

There is a human bodily erosion when using any toilet paper product, okay? Any toilet paper product, you're gonna get erosion. You're wearing away pieces of your ass? What are you doing? Yes, you absolutely. If that's where you're using it, what I'm saying is-

What do you mean, where are you using it? I use toilet paper on many areas of my body. What are you talking about? My nose, my ears. I use it to wipe up spills. You use Kleenex for your nose. No, I use toilet paper for my nose. Sure, in a situation where I'm sick and there's an excess of mucus, I'll invest in a box of

Kleenex. But why have a product that's good for one use when I can have a multi-use product like toilet paper? I use toilet paper for cleaning up the bathroom sink of the air and spills so as not to mineralize the countertop. I use it to clean up the toilet rim, should there be any urine. I use it.

You're a ring. I use it. Did you say your ring? I use it on different body parts. It's a really a jack of all trades. Do you lactate? What I'm saying is anytime there's a discharge, to me, toilet paper is gonna be my first choice.

Toilet paper is a big part of my life. See, some people take Q-tips for their ears, which by the way is unsafe. And now you have a second dedicated product that's only for your ears. What about toilet paper? What's the problem with using toilet paper to clean out your ears and your nose?

Anyway, listen, I don't mean to go on too much about the secondary uses. Nevertheless, don't give me that deep breath. I understand that you're in a rush, but I have a lot to say about toilet paper. No, no, no, don't give me that deep breath. I understand that you're in a rush, but I have a lot to say about toilet paper. No, no, no. Guess what? Can I just say one thing?

I'm not in a rush, but this is my life. And this is a piece of my life. And you're wasting it. Because you're talking, get to the point, which is- This is the point. This is the point. I decided on Charmin toilet paper. They had a few varieties at the time

because they like to over complicate their product line. I went with the version with lotion, which turned out to be mineral oil. Okay, it's had a number of different, now the Charmin people, the Procter and Gamber people, they're listening to this right now. And those 30 something marketing people are saying, is this true?

Did it used to be called aloe and eat? Cause they only know it as Charmin ultra gentle, the common name. And there's one guy that probably knows that it was. Can I assure you, not only is no one at Charmin listening right now, I think anyone who really loves the Conan Channel has turned off at this point.

I buy my toilet paper in bulk because it never expires. I don't enjoy buying toilet paper. I don't want to buy toilet paper more often. I want to buy it less often. Do you get looks when you walk out, when you come into the cash register and you have 35 boxes of toilet paper. I do.

Do they think you have an issue? Yes. Yes, I do get unusual looks. I'm used to unusual looks for a variety of reasons. Of course you are. That never deters me. So I buy mine by the case. So I've got some cases here.

I've got a back stock that I bought over the past few years. Okay, now this is- Is it like someone who loves wine has a whole cellar filled with different wines. Yeah, sure. You go downstairs and when it's your time, you run your hand along these racks and racks and racks of toilet paper,

feeling for the one that will just suit this one particular purpose. Like I want- That's right. This was one that was made in Napa Valley. It's got aloe, but it's aloe from, that really comes from the soil, the good rich loam. Sure, 84.

Yeah, it's an 80, this is a great 84 aloe Charmin. Do you ever do that? I pick the most damaged box because I like the boxes to look aesthetically beautiful. When I have an entire room full of toilet paper boxes, I like them to look beautiful. A lot of times you get shipping damage. Anyway, so the point is I buy them in these cases

of 18 rolls. These are mega rolls. Now again, in a ridiculous overcomplication, Procter & Gamble has decided to offer different sizes of their rolls. They have the regular roll, they have the giant roll, then they have the mega roll. The mega is the biggest.

I've done the research so you don't have to. Can a mega roll fit on a standard toilet paper spool? It can, it can, it can. So I buy 18 mega roll. The mega is the biggest. I've done the research so you don't have to. Can a mega roll fit on a standard toilet paper spool? It can, it can, it can. So I buy 18 mega rolls. I mean, if the toilet in your house is in a very small space, can you get in there with the mega roll or does a mega roll pretty much take up

the whole bathroom? No, the mega roll, you would not, a person of your course visual perception would not even recognize the difference between a giant roll and a mega roll. But I do, okay? I look deep beneath the surface. Anyway, just listen to me, okay?

This case, this case of- Why wouldn't I? Yeah, this case of 18 Charmin Ultra Gentle Mega Rolls cost $19.99. I bought this for many years, okay? Slight variations of the price up and down, but that's basically it. So, recently I bought my Charmin order,

and I bought my 18 mega rolls for $19.99, and this came, okay? And I could already see the packaging is different, and this is telling me, yeah, so this is telling me that something is off, okay? So something changed. Something changed. Instead of a case, now I have this package. And immediately I'm suspicious. And listen, I don't want to look for a new brand of toilet paper. I don't like change when it comes to my toilet paper. Okay?

A lot of things in life should change, but like things like matches, toilet paper, they don't need to change. So the old Charmin Ultra Gentle, while the sheet size is the same, had 286 two-ply sheets per roll. Okay? The new Charmin has 231 two-ply sheets per roll. Okay? So the overall square footage of an 18-pack used to be about 51 meters squared, whereas

this is only about 41 meters squared, which is a 20% decrease. So I get it, okay? Costs are rising in the toilet paper industry and they've got to recoup, okay? Now I don't believe they're being greedy. I don't think they're trying to impress their shareholders. I understand that the toilet paper cost of improves.

Now they could raise the price 20% and then you'd have $24 and I'd get my same product and you know what? I'd happily pay that $24 because I understand inflation exists, but instead they say, let's charge the same. Let's make the roles 20% smaller. Now you can compare the old role and the new role and you'll see, you'll see a drastic difference. A drastic difference. Are you okay? Why are you? What's wrong with you? Why is your face? Listen to me. You know what this means to me? Why is your face? You know what this means to me?

Why you fake? That's just my face. Now listen to me. This clearly means I'm going to- This is the new one and this is the old one. Yes, I will say, first of all, I don't know why you started to laugh maniacally like a Bond villain.

Yes. When you're talking about this, well, a stupid thing. But yeah, okay, the old role. What I'm saying? You're saying for the same amount of money, you're getting less. You're getting 20% less. Okay, fine, that's no stupid thing. But yeah, okay, the old roll, you're saying for the same amount of money, you're getting less. You're getting 20% less, okay, fine. That's no bombshell.

But the point is, why do I have to change my toilet paper roll 20% more often? Why, I'm always gonna need new toilet paper, okay? It's not like I'm just gonna buy one roll and be like, okay, that's it, I'm done when this rolls over. For the rest of my life, I'm gonna be making sure that there is toilet paper on that toilet paper holder, okay?

And why do I have to now, because they have this marketing plan that are gonna trick people into thinking that they're getting the same value Now I have to change my toilet paper roll more frequently I have to buy more cases of toilet paper over the course of my lifetime I have to maintain those cases and store those cases like I just don't understand just be upfront and be like hey We're charging $24 and by the way the the packaging has changed too. I used to if I have guests I like to put a six pack of Charmin unopened sealed into that rest Wait, what? Listen to me. Wait, why do your guests need to see a month supply of toilet paper? I'll tell you why because I want them to know that

I'll tell you why okay If you go into a guest room you want to know you have enough toilet paper for your stay there You don't want to worry that you're gonna have to ask for more toilet paper No, you're like no one likes asking for toilet paper because I'm flying you're saying they do use above the average amount of toilet paper Okay Six rolls is enough to comfort people. It's not excessive It's like no matter what no matter what happens to me in this week I'm gonna have enough toilet paper of these six of these you wouldn't need six

You don't have to use all six in any situation when you need don't have to use all six. You just know they're there Okay, it's comforting to do the same thing with food when they come down in the refrigerator Do you have nine turkeys waiting for them to eat what I'm saying? They have the comfort level I don't like to provide a lot of scarcity. I have my teen boxes of cereal abundance abundance I like to show them that there is an abundance of toilet paper, whatever happens to you while you're here, you are covered. Anyway, just let me get this out.

No, no, no, I'll let you speak a lot, and I'm gonna take over for a second because you're completely untethered. You are completely untethered. You're a balloon, free of its string, bopping around in the wind. I want my guests to know it's Charmin because I want them to know it's a high quality

premium product and I'm not just buying in both of Costco. Are you getting paid by, be honest. No, no. Are you getting anybody from Charmin? No, clearly not, I just criticize them, but at the same time I do appreciate the quality of the paper, that has not changed. Nevertheless, their new packaging inside the outer package

with the bear is just a generic plastic case. My guests think that I'm buying from like Costco or some like off-brand. They don't know it's Charmin anymore. Okay, can I say one thing? Yes. First of all, I think when you put out that much toilet paper for your guests, it's an insult.

It's you saying, I don't trust. No, no, no. I think you're a big pig. I think you're a big pig that eats and shits 24 seven. You're a monster. That's what I think you're saying to them. You're just a giant. I'm saying if you are that person, I got you covered.

If you're a normal person, you're covered too. Okay, so next time I come to your house- You're gonna have plenty of toilet paper and you may not use it. And that's fine. I don't expect you to use it. I mean, first of all- But if you need to use it, it's there.

You will never have to ask me for more toilet paper. Do you imagine the humiliation? Excuse me. Thank you for letting me stay in your room. Do you have any more toilet paper? I gave you plenty of toilet paper. I mean more toilet paper. So you're saying, I think if someone came to you, if you put six of these massive Jumbo Charmin rolls

in the guest room and they came out after a three day stay and say, excuse me, could I use, with their pants around their ankles, could I have more? That would be unexpected. Again, I don't wanna give them cases. I'm not gonna put cases in there. That's ridiculous.

But I'd like to put a six pack- I have a question for you. When you travel, you and I have traveled together. We've shot some pieces together. We've traveled the world. What is your security level, your feelings about going to distant lands and needing to use a facility, another facility where you don't have control

over the toilet paper? I have adaptive techniques, as Darwin has showed us. The key to survival is not strength, but adaptability. I adapt to any situation presented to me. You're gonna take Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species, one of the greatest, most seminal works in the history of mankind, and you're gonna apply it to your travel needs for toilet paper.

I believe in orienting the puborectalis muscle in a certain position to allow a greater elimination at home. And I have devices that yield this result at home. I bet you have devices. I bet if a SWAT team broke into your home right now, they would find all kinds of devices hidden in the crawl space. You freak, you freak, you freak.

Okay, but when I travel, when I travel- What erectus bone? When I travel, I don't have access to my devices, so I improvise. What device? I use a garbage can in the hotel. No, you don't. No, you don't.

No, you don't. What do you do? What do you do? I don't use the garbage can in the way you're thinking. I use a garbage pail to orient my body in a certain position. Do you understand? No, I don't know what you're talking about. I honestly don't know what you're talking about.

Listen, I adapt to the situation. This is why I survive. It's not my strength. It's my adaptability. If I don't have a toilet stool to properly orient my puborectalis muscle. I know, so hold on a second. I'm gonna draw something right now.

You're talking about the squatty potty. That's one example of a toilet stool. Okay, but listen, I'm gonna draw, hold on. I'm gonna draw. Okay, go ahead. This is a toilet, okay? This is you sitting on the toilet. And you were- Well, first of all, there shouldn't even,

if you're a human animal, a Neanderthal, and you wanted to- It's Neanderthal. No, it's Neanderthal. No one's ever said Neanderthal! I just said it. The point is you're supposed to be squatting on the ground, fully squatted, in a fully squatting position

to open up that puborectalis- Is this what you're talking about right here? Yeah, see, yeah. So that simulates a squatting position, even though you're on a modern toilet bowl. Now also, you haven't even mentioned how tall that toilet bowl is. There's a variable height. I like to go with the Kohler-Wellworth, 15 inches off the ground, no more.

Then they have a higher one. They call it comfort height. It's not comfortable. I think that goes without saying. So in a perfect world, you'd be squatting, is what you're saying. In a perfect world, you'd be squatting. In the modern world, you can use devices to simulate squatting, okay? Now in my house, I have these devices

and they're high quality devices because I'm gonna be using these for decades as I just described. I like to stick with a product for years. So you're talking about these things that you put your feet up on or made of a high quality material. Yeah, bamboo.

I like bamboo. Most of them are plastic. I have a high quality bamboo. Bamboo and plastic, wow, you're a really fancy guy. That's what they used on Gilligan's Island. You know bamboo is a grass. What are you talking about? Bamboo is waterproof, it is strong, it is replenishable.

Okay, I'm not hurting the environment with my toilet stool. No. I think you're hurting the environment with your constant shitting. So that's what you're hurting the environment with. You're, I mean, for God's sake, man. Okay. This is insanity. So when I travel, I don't have access to for God's sake, man. Okay. This is insanity. So when I travel, I don't have access

to my bamboo toilet stool, okay? Sure I could find a way to bring it with me, but that's ridiculous. You just store it in the overhead compartment. But I improvise. When I get to a hotel room, that immediately I assess the hotel room for any number of factors.

And I look at the garbage pail. And if the garbage pail is the right height and shape, I can adapt that to my use now I don't want it now that grosses me out because what if I stay at a hotel and I look at the garbage What are you doing with the hotel garbage pail? That you had it upside down in a bathroom while you were pooped I have no problem with someone using a garbage pail upside down Do you know what substances are in hotel garbage pails that you need to be more concerned about than my feet?

So I improvise. Okay, so toilet paper. If the toilet paper, first of all, I don't use toilet paper the way you think I do, okay? I don't wanna know. I don't wanna know. I honestly don't wanna know. There's an inherent flaw with the whole toilet paper system.

Okay, I've discussed this before and I think it's really self-evident. I don't think it needs more explication, but just suffice it to say, you're gonna want a soap and water scenario in most cases and toilet paper, even the best, is not going to cover you. So I use toilet paper in very limited ways. Nevertheless, I improvise in hotel rooms

with soap and water scenarios. Do you hear yourself? Why are you shouting? You shout a lot. Listen to me. No, no. My enthusiasm, don't mistake my enthusiasm for anger, okay, I'm passionate,

and I don't see the problem with that. Can I say something? One day you called me stoic, the other day you called me overly passionate. It's not coming across as passion. Okay. It's coming across as... Crazy? Well, I'm just gonna say like a rant,

and also a defiant rant. A man who sees the world turning against him and using toilet paper improperly, and you are howling at the wind like King Lear, blind, on the moors, unchained from all reality. So yes, I think something in you is untethered and I'm glad that you've put this much thought

into your toilet needs, but have you ever thought of, we've talked about this before, but shouldn't you just be using a bidet? Well, like I was saying, I do have a system, an equivalent system. It's not a bidet per se, but I have a soap and water solution. So.

but I have a soap and water solution. So, uh... So, you just use whatever toilet paper, like, who even buys your toilet paper? Do you have a system? I just, uh, NBC used to give it to me for free, and I still have my NBC supply. And you just, uh...

There's a Tom Brokaw on every sheet. Yeah. Listen, I, uh... You just take what you're given? Yeah, pretty much in life. Yeah, with your toilet paper. I mean, obviously some things you care about, you're gonna pick your car, you're gonna pick your watch, but toilet paper, you just take what's there

and you don't even notice these. I have not put this much thought into it, no. You understand there is abrasion, erosion. Stop saying erosion, there's no erosion. There is certainly erosion. There's no erosion. Of course there's erosion. Anytime you have two substances rubbing together,

there's gonna be some erosion and you're losing skin on a cellular level and that's the micro level and potentially on a macro level. Okay, I'm gonna put an end to this now. Okay. This is beyond the pale. And what you've done, I think is an audio crime today. You've committed an audio crime.

We've had to sit and listen to this for a while. I suspect that you're getting something from the Charmin people. I can't prove it, but I think you are. And I'm glad that you're, I'm happy that you're happy. If you've found a toilet paper that you like, then I'm happy for you. I wish that it wouldn't shrink in size,

necessitating extra trips to the grocery store and extra changes of the role. Well, that's just the world we live in today. Many things shrink in size as time goes on, and we accept it. I'll pay the $24 for the original product. Okay, well, I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

I think that you should just accept this. And again, I just wanna remind viewers, you are a married man, you have children. And I think I would- I'd hate to be the child being potty trained by- Can you imagine, what is it like when you potty trained your children, were you screaming at them the whole time

about you gotta get your legs up higher, that's use the trash can, use the trash can? I don't fault people that are passionate in life. You understand? Sure. I have passions. Many dictators do. Many, many, many mad people have insane ambitions.

I just, I would like and passions. I wish the best for you Jordan. I really do. Wait a minute. I'm thinking about it. Jordan, I really do. Mm-hmm. Wait a minute, I'm thinking about it. No, I don't. I just want to completely rescind that. But I'm glad you found a product that you like.

And so you're saying this toilet paper is your recommendation. Charmin, gentle, ultra gentle is what you like. That's secondary, yes. It is my recommendation. I do have a problem. And you do add. I do have a problem. And you have a method where you use soap and water and any trash can that's available. That's separate, yes. It is my recommendation. I do have a problem. And you do add, and you have a method

where you use soap and water and any trash can that's available. That's separate, yes. This was Jordan Schlansky, consumer watchdog. Yeah, consumer watchdog Jordan Schlansky. Anyone who listened to all of this, I don't know what to tell you, but you should spend your time

very differently in the future. Something's wrong with you. Jordan, I salute you as I always do, and thank you for your wisdom, your passion. Um, and I think that's it. I mean, I don't know what else to say. Uh... We'll be right back. Will we?

I don't see why we... Anyone who's waiting for more of this, God help you. Maybe check out what else is on the dial. What do you think we learned today, Jordan? I think we were two men having a human conversation. I think we don't need to learn anything per se. I think we enrich the lives of people in our relatability.

Okay, why don't you ask any questions you might want to ask me about the episode? Maybe how I feel or from my perspective, or you just like to sort of be the yammerer in chief. Yeah, I can only hope that you enjoy this type of real conversation as much as I do. I don't think of this as real conversation. I don't think of you as a real person.

This is exactly how we would discuss without microphones in front of us. I know, I know. What I'm saying is whether there are microphones here or not, when I'm talking to you, it never feels like a real conversation because I don't know who you are even after all these years.

At your core, I don't know who you are. Well, maybe you have enough real conversations in your life and maybe you could benefit from an occasional surreal conversation. Oh, are you a surrealist? Is that what you're saying? If you consider our relationship surreal, I don't necessarily think that's a negative.

I think that whether we're different or congruous with the rest of your human interactions, I think that there's value there. Whether you're congruous with the rest of your human interactions, these just, you're not gonna hear this anywhere else on SXM. Nowhere else on Sirius Radio, are you gonna hear any of this.

Right, you might hear it on his new show. Oh, the Jordan, the Jordan Schlansky Music Hour. Yes, I play different pressings. Some will be vinyl rips. Some will be, I spent $300 for Men Without Hats, Rhythm of Youth, because I wanted the safety dance. The people that did the safety dance. The safety dance.

Yeah, now you can find it on countless compilations, but their original CD, Pressing of Rhythm of Youth, it is incredibly rare. I spent a lot of money for it. And by the way, when I rip a CD- Does your wife know that you're spending a lot of money on this absolute bullshit? When I rip a CD, I don't just use iTunes and stick it in.

I have a very specific procedure. This is bit perfect. Who came up with this theory of relativity? Einstein. You're talking about the special theory of relativity from 1905 or the general theory from 1915? You, I'm not gonna indulge this. When someone has an illness, you don't indulge it. Okay.

And I don't wanna keep indulging this because I think this is a form of illness. Sure. So does your wife now answer the question, does she ever look at the bills and say, someone just spent $7,000 on a clock radio Does your wife know answer the question? Does she ever look at the bills and say, someone just spent $7,000 on a clock radio that looks like Darth Vader's head?

Does she see that? I have hobbies. I have hobbies. Right, but does she, you're a couple, your husband and wife, you have children and they need to be educated at some point, does she ever say, you know, who spent $4,000 on the lightsaber that's made out of salami that was a part of Etsy, an Etsy auction? Does she ever call into question your expenditures?

I think people have their passions and it's healthy if they get a chance to exploit those passions. Does she feel the same way? I think that- Ah, yes! We got the nerve here. Listen, maybe she'll be on the, we ought to talk to her at some point. Oh, that would be fantastic.

Would that ever, would you allow us to- Look, you have your guitar collections, you have your various matters that you're passionate about. I collect rare foreign CD pressings. Don't make fun of my various matters. Yeah, what I'm saying is- That's getting way too personal. Yeah, I'm just saying we all have our-

Matters. Passions, matters. And I do think it's healthy to explore those things. Could we have your wife on the show one day? Listen, I am a very private man. I, like I say, I like to observe other people. I'm not particularly comfortable with being observed. Some might say this whole format

is contrary to my core values. Nevertheless- But here you sit, because you might make a little bit of scratch and then, you know, you can buy Harrison Ford's, you know, incisor that he lost in 1972 in a bar fight. All I know is that I do enjoy you, Jordan.

Thank you. In a very perverse way, I enjoy you, and you do fascinate me, and I enjoy our time together, and I'm glad that it's being recorded for the police on the Conan and Jordan show right here on SiriusXM. You can leave my friend. Not the original CD pressing. This isn't it?

No. Can you hear the difference? I would play you mine, wait till you hear mine. Jordan Schlansky radio show coming soon. Sirius Channel. Yeah, don't wait for it. It's not coming. We have someone from Sirius right here, right now,

and he just keeps shaking his head now. Physically imposing, gentle giant. Yes, yes, and he's making it clear. Michael Crawford, Phantom of the Opera. What? Everybody says I wanna move and I leave my friends behind. The Conan and Jordan Show with Conan O'Brien and Jordan Schlansky is produced by me, Frank Sm executive produced by Adam Sacks Jeff Ross and Jim McClure

engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez our supervising producer is Andrew Bruce talent booking by Paula Davis Gina Batista and Rick Khan the theme song is Tom Sawyer by Rush you You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and you might find your review read on a future episode. Got a question for Conan and Jordan? Call the Team Coco Hotline, 669-587-2847 and leave a message. It too could be featured on a future episode. And if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

And be sure to subscribe and tune into Conan O'Brien Radio, Channel 104 on SiriusXM.