Sinopsis
Comedian Michael Ian Black is tackling a great work of literature. Actually, Tackling might be too strong a word. More like light caressing plus a lot of complaining. Hes reading the Thomas Hardy classic, Jude the Obscure, out loud and commenting as he goes. Join Michael and friends like Jen Kirkman, Mike Birbiglia, Michael Showalter, and even his teenage daughter, as he discovers the world of Victorian England. Is it a terrible idea? Probably. But its a terrible idea he wants to do with you.
Episodios
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S4 Episode 102 - My Dogs are Literal Animals
26/08/2025 Duración: 35minHaving just spent two days in the car with his pets, your host spends most of the episode complaining about the adorable Ole and Squash, who are not adorable. Things are worse, however, for Bert Alden, dead at the bottom of a lake. Thankfully, Orville Mason is on the case!Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 101 - Machinations!
19/08/2025 Duración: 33minThere's been a murder (maybe) in these here parts and political machinations are afoot! The coroner, upon suspecting foul play, has some ideas in that big head of his. While murder is never welcome, when it arrives, one would be a fool not to use it to one's advantage...Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 100 - Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge
12/08/2025 Duración: 34minReporting this episode from the former honeymoon capital of the world (not Niagra Falls), the Poconos Mountains which is an ideal location to commit a lake drowning. A lake drowning has, in fact, occurred. Clyde, our poor benighted Clyde, has gone and done it. And now, we shall see what consequences await.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 99 - Dithering and Dickering
05/08/2025 Duración: 30minPerhaps we are at the moment of no return. Hard to say, of course, and lo we have had the rug pulled from under our feet so many times over these last almost 100 episodes. Clyde Griffiths is possessed now, a demon steadying his hand as the deadly moment has now arrived. Or has it???Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 98 - What a lousy Independence Day but a fine day for a MURDER
29/07/2025 Duración: 33minAn airport adventure begins this week's episode but your host is happy to assure you that, while his family's was waylaid in NYC attempting to return home to the Deep South. An overnight stay at JFK ensued, with a detour to Minneapolis, before heading, finally to Savannah. And yet... AND YET! Our trip was still better than Roberta Alden's elopement.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 97 - We Don't Have Swiss Cheese, We're Waffle House
22/07/2025 Duración: 34minSome thoughts on Waffle House and some heavy breathing kick off this week's episode. Meanwhile, all kinds of trouble await poor Robert Alden as she decamps for what she believes to be her elopement. But, of course, you and I know no such elopement is forthcoming. The only event Roberta has to look forward to is... MURDER!!!Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 96 - Crucial Days Indeed
15/07/2025 Duración: 32minSome comparing and contrasting on the natures and characters of our respective heroines, Bob and Sondy F from the perspective of our hero, the cad. Can a hero also be a cad? Sure. What was Han Solo if not both? Meanwhile, your host rhapsodizes on his new homeland, the sap. Can a hero also be a sap?Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 95 - Fits and Starts
01/07/2025 Duración: 29minA remembrance of a summer past begins today's episode as your host recalls a trip to his grandmother's apartment, a trip which involved watching the rock star Prince have more sex than was comfortable. Meanwhile, our resident Hamlet, Master Clyde Griffiths, continues to inch closer and closer to his ultimate destination. One of... MURDER!!!Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 94 - Long Live the State; Not So Much Bob
24/06/2025 Duración: 34minYour host begins with tales of glamor and intrigue and film festivals, but such tales are short-lived, are they not? And, truth be told, very little intrigue at hand and almost as little glamor. Meanwhile, intrigue builds in the fetid little brain of our troubled teen, Clyde Griffiths. Will such intrigue lead to... MURDER?!?Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 93 - The Desolate, Impenetrable Forests
17/06/2025 Duración: 33minAn honest-to-goodness "Price is Right" challenge! Plus, tales of Las Vegas decadence and Lycurgus debauchery! In addition, a comedic definition of the word "Myrtle." All this and more on today's scintillating episode of "Obscure"!!! Oh, and we read the book a little, too.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 92 - I Didn't Come to Las Vegas to Be Bored!
10/06/2025 Duración: 33minYour host has created for himself a little working vay-cay out in the wilds of the Nevada desert for a debauched week of poker-playing and podcast recording. Most of the episode is devoted to Bert's whinging about this, that, and the other. Is it boring? It is.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 91 - Taking the Low Road
03/06/2025 Duración: 34minWhile Ol' Bert suffers in Biltz, Clyde and Sondra are canoodling over at Twelfth Lake, their kisses turning into warm embraces in the moonlight. And yes, there's baby talk. I'm so sorry.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 90 - Murder, Gossip, Sex!
27/05/2025 Duración: 31minWe start today's episode with some hot show biz goss about Colman Domingo, the show biz industry in general, and the Met Gala. Then we delve into the subject of MURDER!!!!Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 89 - Presumably Containing Lunch
20/05/2025 Duración: 28minAs the number of listeners continues to dwindle (and, honestly, why it hasn't disappeared altogether is a mystery to me), your host recounts a visit to Los Angeles, relays some VERY strong opinions on Taco Bell, and reads a bit of a work of classic literature while commenting on it as he goes.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 88 - Some Honest to God Celebrity Hot Goss
13/05/2025 Duración: 31minReporting this episode from a haunted condominium in Hollywood, California! Ok, it's not haunted and, strictly speaking it isn't in Hollywood. But here within, your host relates a VERY JUICY Colman Domingo story (it's not that juicy, or that interesting). And Clyde continues to f things up. No surprise there.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 87 - The Fifth of June Arriving
06/05/2025 Duración: 32minFor the umpteenth episode, Clyde is torn between his former flame and the current inferno warming him from the direction of Twelfth Lake. A gravid Bob is at a critical junction, the time of decision-making is at hand. Clyde must marry her or find some other solution to the problem. The obvious solution? MURDER!!!Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 86 - It was not right. It was not fair
29/04/2025 Duración: 33minSome real moments of irritation from your host this week as he loses patience with both Bob AND Ted Dreiser. Now maybe it's on account of your host's sore back or maybe it's because your host thinks he knows better than one of the nation's great writers. Who can say.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 85 - Speaking of Bobs
22/04/2025 Duración: 33minA couple of Bobs on the podcast this time around, one the familiar Bob of episodes past, the knocked-up one. Then there's another Bob, only mentioned once and as an aside from your narrator. But what is the nature of this second, mysterious Bob? Only a careful listen will reveal the answer!!!!Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 84 - A Dark Cloud Which Shadowed This Other
15/04/2025 Duración: 32minA sleepy host, a pregnant Bob, and a potential lover who, in the mind of your host, looks like a comic book character. Clyde and Roberta remain in their pregnancy pickle while Sondra Finchley, in the shadows, seeks out young Master Griffiths. All is both well and deeply unwell on the dark streets of Lycurgus, New York.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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S4 Episode 83 - On Celebrating and Not Celebrating
08/04/2025 Duración: 33minThe episode begins with a reflection on St. Patrick's Day in Savannah, which - your host is told - is the nation's 3rd largest St. Patty's Day celebration. So while revelers drink themselves into a stupor down south, up north in Lycurgus, NY, our friends Clyde and Roberta struggle with the continually growing problem of Bob's pregnancy. But now, with the addition of the threat of marriage, blackmail, and, perhaps, extortion. Things are churning in a bad direction on an exciting new episode of Obscure.Support Obscure!Read Michael's substackFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.