Humor and the Abject Podcast
Humor and the Abject Podcast
Sean J Patrick Carney
Humor and the Abject is a podcast about contemporary art hosted by Sean J Patrick Carney.
Introducing Time Zero
Time Zero is a new podcast about the nuclearized world from Humor and the Abject creator and host Sean J Patrick Carney. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/time-zero/id1804227201 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6c4aw0DTyhYVcZkxciYb8T?si=30f54ea6d2254e71 Learn more, get an essay version of each episode, and support the show at: http://timezeropod.com
Jun 24, 2025
2 min
112: Christopher Michlig and Oliver Payne
It’s slime time. In 2022, artists Christopher Michlig and Oliver Payne released, respectively, the book File Under: Slime and the film A Brief History of Slime. At the time, each was completely unaware of the other’s slime-related research. On this episode, they join to discuss peak slime culture of the 1980s and 90s, the recent resurgence of slime through YouTube and TikTok, California as a cultural funnel and filter, and the Goop lifestyle. The outro music is “Mind Fulla Slime” by Mean Jeans. /// Purchase Michlig’s book through Hat & Beard Press here: https://hatandbeard.com/products/file-under-slime-by-christopher-michlig /// View Payne’s video here: https://vimeo.com/684376655 ///
May 28, 2023
56 min
111: Adam Khalil
Filmmaker and artist Adam Khalil joins the podcast to talk collaboration, nonlinear time, irony’s extant potential, and the aesthetics of Indigenous cinema. Among Khalil’s many film projects are Nosferasta: First Bite (2021), Empty Metal (2018), and INAATE/SE/ (2016). Khalil is a co-founder of the public secret society New Red Order, which you can get involved with by dialing 1 (888) NEW-RED1. If you’re in Michigan, Khalil will be screening films and speaking at a variety of events as part of GVSU’s Arts Celebration this month. See the full calendar here: https://tinyurl.com/khalilgvsu
Feb 6, 2023
1 hr 5 min
110: Elvia Wilk
New York writer Elvia Wilk joins to discuss her recent collection of essays on ecologies, “Death By Landscape” (Soft Skull Press, 2022). Using an accessible approach she calls “fan-nonfiction,” Wilk’s latest book catalouges and considers a diverse group of writers, while ruminating on plant-becoming, slow apocalypses, mysticism, LARPing, trauma, the New Weird, consent, and black holes. The outro music is “Planta” by Soda Stereo. Purchase “Death By Landscape,” as well as Wilk’s 2019 debut novel “Oval,” through Soft Skull Press: https://softskull.com/authors/elvia-wilk/
Oct 12, 2022
47 min
109: Ian A. Vanek (Japanther)
Humor and the Abject has a special treat for all you screedlers out there: an interview with Japanther co-founder Ian Vanek. He’s about to release “Puppy Dog Ice Cream,” a new book all about Japanther’s 13-year run, published by Outlandish Press. We talked about buzzing, vibing, and dancing; Brooklyn DIY in the mid-00s; one-man motorcycle/sampler tours; the rainy charm of the Pacific Northwest; blissing the fuck out; playing a show in a castle with Penny Rimbaud of Crass (who bit them); how to make your band a sculpture, and a whole lot more. The outro music is Ian’s current band HOWARDIAN, reworking a Genesis classic. Pre-order your copy of “Puppy Dog Ice Cream” today: https://www.outlandish.press/store/p/puppy-dog-ice-cream-the-story-of-japanther
Feb 20, 2021
1 hr 6 min
108: The DSA Podcast (Darcie, Sean, and Azikiwe) #13
Ohhhhhhhhhhh, babyyyyyyyy. It’s the lucky thirteenth episode of the DSA Podcast, starring your pals Darcie, Sean, and Azikiwe. To celebrate, the power trio ripped into some of the most important topics of the day including Jeff Bezos delivering packages to the moon, raccoon roommates, fighting a cat, Alec Baldwin sightings, and more. The outro music is “True Romance” by Tiger Army.
May 12, 2019
58 min
107: Charlie Markbreiter
New York writer Charlie Markbreiter (@BerlantBro) has written about contemporary art, humor, and edgelordism for The New Inquiry, Artforum, Baffler, Momus, and Garage, among others. On this week’s episode, we talked about their interest in comedy and humorlessness; a recent interview they conducted with scholar Lauren Berlant; why the NYMPHOWARS podcast subverts right wing and liberal expectations; gimmickry, social justice, and being annoying; and the impotent self-destruction of Jackass. The outro music is “Delete Yourself!” by Atari Teenage Riot. Read Charlie’s interview with Lauren Berlant here: https://thenewinquiry.com/cant-take-a-joke/ Read Charlie’s article on NYMPHOWARS here: https://garage.vice.com/en_us/article/vbaz9d/nymphowars-podcast
May 5, 2019
53 min
106: Janet40
Janet40 is the Mexico City-based curatorial and production platform of Patricia Siller and Luis Nava. They’ve been in Austin for the last month as part of the Unlisted Projects residency program at the Museum of Human Achievement. While in town, they’ve been working on prototyping and fabricating objects for artists Canek Zapata (Mexico City) and Hannah Dubbe (Austin). We got the chance to get together in their studio at MoHA and talk about their current projects; the Janet40 origin story; having day jobs; turning URL content into IRL objects; capitalism; love; how to make rice glow in the dark; aliens; the nature of collaboration; and the totally nuts amount of upcoming projects they’ve already got in the works. The outro music is “It’s a Fine Day” by Opus III. View their project archive here: https://janet40.com/
Apr 28, 2019
51 min
105: Beth Campbell
It’s my big birthday week, babies. To celebrate, I caught up with an old friend, artist Beth Campbell from New York. She was visiting Austin this past week to unveil a new public art project as part of the Landmarks collection at the University of Texas. I got to see Beth do a great conversation with philosopher Timothy Morton, who also wrote a nice essay about her work available via the link below. During our own conversation, Beth and I discussed the arc of her practice over the last 20 years, which has won her a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Pollack-Krasner Grant, and has seen her work presented in venues including the Whitney, the Drawing Room in London, MoMA PS1, and tons of other places. We talk mirrors, audience expectations, the difference between installation and sculpture, emotional time travel, and a whole lot more. The outro music is “Mythmaster” by Lightning Bolt. Read Timothy Morton’s essay, and learn more about Beth’s Landmarks project, here: https://landmarks.utexas.edu/artwork/spontaneous-futures-possible-past
Apr 14, 2019
58 min
104: The DSA Podcast (Darcie, Sean, and Azikiwe) #12
Azikiwe is finally back from his travels all around North America, so it’s time for another installment of everybody’s favorite podcast within the podcast, the DSA Podcast (Darcie, Sean, and Azikiwe). With the remake of “Pet Sematary” dropping this week, we thought it only appropriate to do a comprehensive review of the original film that is now 30 years old. We also learn a lot about different types of domestic pet breeds! Fuck it all, baby! The outro music is “Pet Sematary” by Ramones.
Mar 31, 2019
1 hr 19 min
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