The guys provide a bonus mini-episode discussing two things from the news in the past week. First, Asif discusses the triumphant finale of ‘Better Call Saul’ and the amazing acting of Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and especially Rhea Seahorn. Then they discuss the death of actress Anne Heche, and how some news organizations (The Washington Post) did not declare Heche as having died, even when she was declared neurologically dead.

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

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Show Notes:

• Why the media declared Anne Heche dead twice: https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/08/16/anne-heche-death-confusion

On today’s special episode the guys forgo an entertainment topic to focus on the Archie Bastersbee case in the UK and the concept of brain death. They guys start off by discussing how he sustained a brain injury supposedly while doing a TikTok “Blackout challenge. They discuss how his doctors diagnosed him as “brain dead” but the family disagreed with the diagnosis and appealed to courts in the UK, as well as the UN. Asif then discusses the 2 different ways to diagnose death (cardiac and neurological)  and the tests neurologists use to determine brain death. The guys also talk about the differences between this case and the Terri Schiavo case. Ali then asks Asif about a New Yorker article by Rachel Aviv which discusses the case of Jahi McMath. Using her case, the guys discuss how the diagnosis of brain death has come under scrutiny by some experts. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

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Show Notes:

• Archie Battersbee case: a timeline of key events: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/06/archie-battersbee-case-timeline-key-events-life-support-what-happened

• Determination of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria - The World Brain Death Project: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2769149

• What Does it Mean to Die? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/05/what-does-it-mean-to-die

Today the guys discuss the life and career of Gary Shandling (1:25). They discuss his early life and how his brother’s death, a car accident and him crossing a comedy picket line were formative experiences for him. They discuss Shandling’s eventual appearance on ‘The Tonight Show’ and then the development of his groundbreaking sitcom “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show”. They then discuss how he followed this up with another landmark show “The Larry Sanders Show”. Later, they discuss his final projects and his untimely death in 2016. Then Ali asks Asif about hyperparathyroidism, which Shandling suffered from (44:00). Asif talks about the common symptoms ( "bones, stones, abdominal groans, and psychic moans/overtones") and the reasons why people develop the disease. He then discussed how it is diagnosed as well as the treatment of this disorder. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

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Show Notes:

• The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling: https://www.hbo.com/the-zen-diaries-of-garry-shandling

• The Comedian’s Comedian’s Comedian: https://www.gq.com/story/comedy-issue-garry-shandling

• WTF - Garry Shandling episodes: http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/tag/Garry+Shandling

• Garry Shandling and the Disease You Didn’t Know About: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/04/garry-shandling-hyperparathyroidism/476445/

• Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee: https://www.netflix.com/watch/80181989?trackId=255824129&tctx=0%2C0%2CNAPA%40%40%7Cac7f46b4-66b3-40c0-87c0-c53e8c2ada67-99001210_titles%2F1%2F%2Fcomed%2F0%2F0%2CNAPA%40%40%7Cac7f46b4-66b3-40c0-87c0-c53e8c2ada67-99001210_titles%2F1%2F%2Fcomed%2F0%2F0%2Cunknown%2C%2Cac7f46b4-66b3-40c0-87c0-c53e8c2ada67-99001210%7C1%2CtitlesResults%2C80171362

• Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Narrative Review of Diagnosis and Medical Management: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33918966/

• Primary hyperparathyroidism: review and recommendations on evaluation, diagnosis, and management. A Canadian and international consensus: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00198-016-3716-2

• The Association of Primary Hyperparathyroidism With Pancreatitis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4428665/

Today we have a special food themed episode! First, the guys discuss Ali’s other podcast, ‘This Podcast is Delicious’ with Ali’s co-host Marco Timpano (0:52). They discuss Marco’s background and how he ended up podcasting. They then discuss how Ali and Marco met and the genesis for their podcast. They discuss how it used to be called ‘Eat and Drink’ and how it had been recently rebranded as ‘This Podcast is Delicious’.  Marco sticks around for the medical topic as the guys discuss physicians prescribing food to patients (35:46). Asif discusses the broader concept of ‘social prescribing’ which originated in the UK. He discusses the different types of food prescribing and some studies that have examined its effectiveness. The guys then discuss some potentially ethical issues associated with food prescribing. Finally they conclude with some thoughts on how medicine can incorporate food prescribing, such as so called ‘culinary medicine’ curricula. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

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Show Notes:

• This Podcast is Delicious: https://shows.acast.com/eat-and-drink/episodes/deliciousness-begins-now
• http://www.marcotimpano.com/

• Social prescriptions: Why some health-care practitioners are prescribing food to their patients: https://theconversation.com/social-prescriptions-why-some-health-care-practitioners-are-prescribing-food-to-their-patients-182208

• Social Prescribing: https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/social-prescribing/

• Food is medicine: actions to integrate food and nutrition into healthcare: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2482

• A Deficiency of Nutrition Education in Medical Training: https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(14)00308-8/fulltext

• Nutrition in medical education: a systematic review: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519619301718

• Promoting Healthy Food Access and Nutrition in Primary Care: A Systematic Scoping Review of Food Prescription Programs: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08901171211056584

• Social prescribing: less rhetoric and more reality. A systematic review of the evidence:
• Multisite Culinary Medicine Curriculum Is Associated With Cardioprotective Dietary Patterns and Lifestyle Medicine Competencies Among Medical Trainees: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1559827619901104

Today on a special episode, the guys don’t cover a medical topic and only discuss an entertainment one: the rise and fall of the WWE’s Vince McMahon (2:51). Even if you don’t like wrestling, or actively hate it, this episode is a fascinating listen. The guys start off by discussing why professional wrestling has continued to be popular over the years and how ‘meta’ commentary on wrestling has been covered by writers such as David Shoemaker. Asif then goes over the history of wrestling and discusses how the charge of wrestling being ‘fake’ has been around for over 100 years.  They then talk about the rise of Vince McMahon and how he changed the landscape of professional wrestling. They then discuss the recent allegations against Vince which prompted him to retire from the WWE. Finally, they discuss where the WWE is heading and the ‘Succession’-type backroom dealings in the organization. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

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Show Notes:

• The Squared Circle: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/311224/the-squared-circle-by-david-shoemaker/9781592408818/excerpt

• The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/558378/the-comic-book-story-of-professional-wrestling-by-aubrey-sitterson-art-by-chris-moreno/9780399580499

• Remembering When the Rodman-Malone NBA Finals Feud in 1998 Led to a WCW Match: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2771950-remembering-when-the-rodman-malone-nba-finals-feud-in-1998-led-to-a-wcw-match

• Linda McMahon Gets a Ringside Seat for TrumpMania: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/24/us/politics/linda-mcmahon-gets-a-ringside-seat-for-trumpmania.html

• Jimmy Snuka and the Death of Nancy Argentino: https://www.vicetv.com/en_us/video/jimmy-snuka-and-the-death-of-nancy-argentino/5e5ed68cd27129037a63680d

• WWE’s Vince McMahon Agreed to Pay $12 Million in Hush Money to Four Women: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wwes-vince-mcmahon-agreed-to-pay-12-million-in-hush-money-to-four-women-11657289742

Today, the guys discuss the career of the legendary A-lister Brad Pitt (1:21). They talk about his early life and roles. Then they discuss his philanthropy and personal life. Later the guys each list their 3 favourite Brad Pitt roles. Then Ali asks Asif about prosopagnosia, which Brad Pitt diagnosed himself with (33:24). Asif defines what it is (essentially ‘face blindness’) and how you can get it from an acquired brain injury. Asif then discusses the other developmental form which you can be born with and how the disorder may be more common than people think. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram:   doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• Brad Pitt opens up his dream world: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/brad-pitt-interview-2022/amp

• What Is Prosopagnosia, a Condition That Causes ‘Face Blindness’? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/well/mind/prosopagnosia-face-blindness.html

• Prosopagnosia: current perspectives: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5398751/

• First report of prevalence of non-syndromic hereditary prosopagnosia (HPA): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16817175/

• Developmental prosopagnosia: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)00047-6?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982216000476%3Fshowall%3Dtrue#relatedArticles

Today Ali and Asif discuss the legendary soundtrack from the movie ‘Singles’ which was released 30 years ago (0:57). The guys start off by discussing the movie ‘Singles’, Cameron Crowe and how the movie potentially influenced the creation of ‘Friends’. The guys then go through each song on the album and give their thoughts on each track. They highlight how the album gained exposure for some ‘up and coming’ bands at the time, including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and The Smashing Pumpkins.  Then Ali asks Asif about borderline personality disorder (BPD) (37:23). Asif starts off by talking about personality disorders and then explains the criteria for diagnosing someone with BPD. He then talks about risk factors for developing it as well as the neurobiology of BPD. He then concludes by discussing the treatment and prognosis of the disorder. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

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Show Notes:

• Cameron Crowe on the ‘Singles’ Soundtrack, Chris Cornell: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/cameron-crowe-on-the-singles-soundtrack-chris-cornell-194903/

• Personality Disorders: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/personality-disorders/why-is-it-controversial/
• BPD family: https://www.bpdfamily.com/

• Borderline personality disorder: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673610614225?casa_token=_4MqATEboTMAAAAA:kFe4KpWO3I6GkTvJ17HxA0G_Ryhe3cRuh2ZKyOvePaT_A2Eu6mgAdpV4omjh7z0AhIlGYNldAg#box1

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/dialectical-behaviour-therapy

Today Ali and Asif present a special episode on all things Canada. They start off by Ali hosting the Canada Day celebrations in the Nation’s capital (1:02). Then they each discuss their favourite Canadian entertainment, including their favourite musicians, movies and TV shows (15:26). Then Ali asks Asif about the Canadian discovery of insulin (40:00). After a bit of background about the different types of diabetes, Asif discusses the discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto. Asif goes through the major players – Frederick G. Banting, John James Rickard Macleod, Charles Herbert Best and James Bertram Collip  – as well as the ensuing arguments and controversies amongst the group of researchers. He talks about their legacy, their Nobel prize win and how the discovery of insulin changed medicine forever.  

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

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Show Notes:

• Reel Canada https://www.reelcanada.ca/
• The 25 Best Canadian movies: https://www.readersdigest.ca/culture/best-canadian-movies-ever/

• Who discovered insulin? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323774#summary

• The Discovery of Insulin: https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/discovery-insulin

Today, after a digression about the hotel Ali is staying in for his comedy tour, Asif asks Ali about diversity in comedy (2:07). Specifically, Asif asks Ali about the diversity and comedy course he is teaching at Queen’s University. They discuss what compelled Ali to “pitch” the course to his department. Ali discusses how he discusses in the course how the origins of stand up comedy are racist. Asif asks Ali about how he evaluates the students in his course as well as what HE learned from his students. Then, Ali asks Asif about epilepsy (27:42). Asif defines both epilepsy and seizures and discusses how common epilepsy is. He then talks about different seizure types and different epilepsy syndromes. They discuss what investigations are required for patients with seizures as well as possible treatments. They then talk about what to avoid if you have epilepsy as well as the prognosis for pediatric patients with seizures. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

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Show Notes:

• Heritage Minutes: Wilder Penfield: https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/wilder-penfield
• Epilepsy Foundation: https://www.epilepsy.com/
• Epilepsy Canada: https://www.epilepsy.ca/

We had so much listener interest in a Justin Bieber and Ramsay Hunt syndrome episode that we decided to release this episode early. Our next regular episode will come out on July 1. 

Pop superstar Justin Bieber recently was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Today the guys chat about Justin Bieber and then later discuss what exactly is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. Ali starts us by regaling us with the tales of his visit to the Justin Bieber museum in Stratford, Ontario (1:08).  The guys then discuss how he was discovered by Scooter Braun and his mother’s involvement in his success. They discuss his numerous controversies but also  discuss the role of handlers and enablers with young stars and whether they bear some blame in these controversies. They then discuss some successes (Despacito, Tim Hortons collab) and his large charitable donations to the Philippines. Then Ali asks Asif about Ramsay Hunt syndrome (21:09). Asif explains that Justin has Ramsay Hunt syndrome type 2, and he then briefly explains what the other two types are. Asif explains the similarities and differences between Ramsay Hunt syndrome type 2 and Bell’s palsy. He also discusses how it is essentially shingles of your ear and facial nerve. He then talks about how you get it, what it looks like and how it is treated. Then he discusses the prognosis for Justin, based on the scientific literature.  

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram:   doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• Justin Bieber Is Living the Dream: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/fashion/03bieber.html

• Justin Bieber: The Billboard Cover Story: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/justin-bieber-the-billboard-cover-story-1526286/

• White House Responds To ‘Deport Justin Bieber’ Petition, Refuse To Comment: http://www.entmania.com/2014/04/19/white-house-responds-deport-justin-bieber-petition-refuse-comment/

• Bill Hader Compares Saturday Night Live Hosts: Disses Justin Bieber, Calls Justin Timberlake a "Class Act": https://www.eonline.com/news/422260/bill-hader-compares-saturday-night-live-hosts-disses-justin-bieber-calls-justin-timberlake-a-class-act

• Justin Bieber: Bad Boy: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/justin-bieber-bad-boy-203535/

• Justin Bieber hopes Anne Frank ‘would have been a belieber’: https://www.cnn.com/2013/04/14/showbiz/bieber-anne-frank

• Justin Bieber Awarded Star On Philippines Walk Of Fame For Typhoon Haiyan Campaign: https://www.inquisitr.com/1138293/justin-bieber-star-philippines-walk-of-fame-typhoon-haiyan/

• Justin Bieber almost single-handedly turned around Tim Hortons: https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/15/investing/justin-bieber-tim-hortons-sales/index.html

• Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557409/

• Ramsay Hunt syndrome: https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/71/2/149
• Ramsay hunt syndrome: Clinical characterization of progressive myoclonus ataxia caused by GOSR2 mutation: https://movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mds.25704

• Handlebar palsy--a compression syndrome of the deep terminal (motor) branch of the ulnar nerve in biking: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12382163/