How old is this? Surely dear old Bob isn’t still working? His classic monologues like ‘Bus Driver School’ were something my parents introduced me to when I was a kid.
This video cracks me up. How many times did I wish I could say, “Stop it.” It makes for great comedy, but it is funny precisely because it mocks both the helper and the one who seeks help. It reminds me of the Eagles tune, “Get Over It.”
Querulous Squirrel is right that Reid Wilsonmade his career with books and methods that sound like Newman with a grant from NIMH–Stop Obsessing; Don’t Panic! Actually, though, those are pretty helpful and nuanced books that therapists have used successfully with OCD and Panic Disorder.
(pssst: It’s National Mental Illness Awareness Week)
FCOL: I know, I know. The idea’s been sitting right there all this time, staring us in the face.
(Thanks for stopping by, btw. Don’t be a stranger.)
marta: I do like your brand of meditation. Well, let’s say I recognize it, anyhow.
Squirrel: Someone, somewhere, must have made a study of those who obsess about OCD — and study it compulsively. It almost sounds like a Joseph Heller premise.
Froog: You do have a knack for asking questions with juuuust enough intrigue at their core… According to Wikipedia, the episode of the MADtv series in which this skit appeared was first broadcast in May, 2001.
Like you, I had the privilege of first hearing Newhart via recordings of his stand-up act. The albums (as I recall) often featured the phrase “The Button-Down Mind,” e.g., “…of Bob Newhart.”
fg: As Nance said a little later, one of the great things about this skit is the double-edged sword it cuts with. Those two moments you singled out sure demonstrate that!
Nance: Your comment sent me off to track down Reid Wilson. I’d read “made his career” to mean he’d made a pile of money, which made me worry he might be/have been a self-help guru along the lines of a Tony Robbins. Not so, happily.
I didn’t know about National Mental Health Awareness Week, btw. Another J. Heller moment.
[To no one in particular: the reCaptcha phrase of the moment is Writing railia. I have no idea what the second half of that refers to — Google was no help at all — but of course the first got my attention. Typically muddled message from the universe…]
FCOL (For Crying Out Loud!) says
The therapist I’ve been searching for all my life! (Why didn’t I think of that?)
marta says
Well, I’ve been looking for a mantra.
The Querulous Squirrel says
There’s a book for OCD called Stop Obsessing, but it goes into a little more detail in the text. Same for the book “Don’t Panic.”
Froog says
That is brilliant.
How old is this? Surely dear old Bob isn’t still working? His classic monologues like ‘Bus Driver School’ were something my parents introduced me to when I was a kid.
fg says
I really like,
“Go”
and
“I wash my hand a lot.
Thats ok, I was my hands a lot.”
haha, great find, thanks Jes
Nance says
This video cracks me up. How many times did I wish I could say, “Stop it.” It makes for great comedy, but it is funny precisely because it mocks both the helper and the one who seeks help. It reminds me of the Eagles tune, “Get Over It.”
Querulous Squirrel is right that Reid Wilsonmade his career with books and methods that sound like Newman with a grant from NIMH–Stop Obsessing; Don’t Panic! Actually, though, those are pretty helpful and nuanced books that therapists have used successfully with OCD and Panic Disorder.
(pssst: It’s National Mental Illness Awareness Week)
John says
FCOL: I know, I know. The idea’s been sitting right there all this time, staring us in the face.
(Thanks for stopping by, btw. Don’t be a stranger.)
marta: I do like your brand of meditation. Well, let’s say I recognize it, anyhow.
Squirrel: Someone, somewhere, must have made a study of those who obsess about OCD — and study it compulsively. It almost sounds like a Joseph Heller premise.
Froog: You do have a knack for asking questions with juuuust enough intrigue at their core… According to Wikipedia, the episode of the MADtv series in which this skit appeared was first broadcast in May, 2001.
Like you, I had the privilege of first hearing Newhart via recordings of his stand-up act. The albums (as I recall) often featured the phrase “The Button-Down Mind,” e.g., “…of Bob Newhart.”
fg: As Nance said a little later, one of the great things about this skit is the double-edged sword it cuts with. Those two moments you singled out sure demonstrate that!
Nance: Your comment sent me off to track down Reid Wilson. I’d read “made his career” to mean he’d made a pile of money, which made me worry he might be/have been a self-help guru along the lines of a Tony Robbins. Not so, happily.
I didn’t know about National Mental Health Awareness Week, btw. Another J. Heller moment.
[To no one in particular: the reCaptcha phrase of the moment is Writing railia. I have no idea what the second half of that refers to — Google was no help at all — but of course the first got my attention. Typically muddled message from the universe…]
jules says
HA.
Is this recent? Does he age?
John says
jules: I mentioned somewhere upstream that this dates back to 2001. Even so…
denizb33 says
“we definitely don’t go there… just stop it!”
this is magnificent!