Guests Harvey Pekar and Andy Kindler. Andy Kindler is a standup comic best known for eviscerating the comedy industry in his annual "State of the Industry Address" at Montreal's Just For Laughs festival. He's appeared numerous times on Letterman, and was a featured player on Everybody Loves Raymond. Harvey Pekar is the author of the celebrated comic series "American Splendor," which was made into a film starring Paul Giammatti. He recently published a comic memoir entitled "The Quitter."

Guests Matt Walsh, Art Spiegelman, and Chris Elliott. Matt Walsh is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, and has appeared in numerous films. He talks with us about "Martin and Orloff," a film he starred in and co-wrote. Art Spiegelman is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, among other books and comics. Spiegelman talks with us about his newest book, "In the Shadow of No Towers." Chris Elliott is a comedy hero for his work on the David Letterman show, as well as on his anti-sitcom "Get A Life," and the film "Cabin Boy." He's written a comic mystery novel, "The Shroud of the Thwacker."

Guest Peter Guralnick on Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke is perhaps the most important figure in 20th century American pop music who isn't a household name. Cooke has been described as the man who invented soul. Peter Guralnick is his biographer, as well as the author of the definitive, two-volume biography of Elvis Presley among other texts.

Guests Robert Weide and Bruce Bridgeman. Bruce Bridgeman is a professor at UC Santa Cruz, and recently published a paper on legenday Santa Cruz tourist attraction The Mystery Spot. Robert Weide is the executive producer of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Larry David. Also, we play some improvised Van Morrison recordings that are so bizarre, they must be heard to be believed.

Guests Dan Savage and Neil Strauss. A pair of heterogenous perspectives on relationships. Dan Savage, the sex columnist, talks about his new book "The Commitment," about gay marriage. Neil Strauss, former New York Times music critic, talks about his book, "The Game: Penetrating the Secret Societ of Pickup Artists."