Episode 115 — Jake Johannsen: Curious Brain, Long Leash, Perfect Curveball

pplpod Episode 115 tours Jake Johannsen’s cult-favorite lane—long-form stories that wander like a curious dog and somehow land on the exact right punchline. We trace the San Francisco ascent, the HBO hour (This’ll Take About an Hour), and a late-night run that became legend (dozens of Letterman sets where Jake’s calm, oddball logic stole the room). Inside the craft: elastic digressions, precise word choice, and that “how did we get here?” cadence that makes minor hassles—spiders, space travel, relationships—feel like philosophical puzzles with jokes baked in. We hit club years, festival laps, albums, Dry Bar/streaming turns, and the durable road act powered by empathy and impeccable timing. A masterclass in building laughs from gentle bewilderment—and proving that low-key can still be lethal.