Thursday Night Call-In Show ☎️ Aug 6, 2026 | Special co-host Jeff Garlin

Comedian and actor Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Goldbergs) joins Rabbi Shais Taub as special co-host for the Thursday Night Call-In Show. Between callers wrestling with various real life issues, Jeff shares stories and lessons from a lifetime in comedy—from Larry David and Curb to Harold Ramis, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Jackie Mason, Don Rickles, and more. Along the way, a surprising theme emerges: the rules of great improv may also be pretty good rules for life—accept reality, work with what you’ve been given, let go of the need to control the scene, and, as Jeff puts it, “Take what you do seriously; do not take yourself seriously.” If you have a personal question, dilemma, struggle, or situation you’d like to discuss live on the air, this is your opportunity. No topic is too big or too small—relationships, parenting, faith, emotional struggles, life decisions, personal growth, or anything else that’s on your mind. To be considered for a live call, email info at soulwords dot org with a brief summary of your question or topic. 00:00 Jeff joins the show: Chicago Jews, minyan, and Bill Buckner 06:07 Introducing Jeff to the call-in show format 07:09 Carlin, Pryor, and the wisdom of great comedians 08:57 Jeff’s Hebrew name is Yosef 09:53 Stray cats and the SoulWords House “vibe check” *10:52 Caller #1: Growing up without a father and becoming a cycle breaker* 37:44 The rules of improv—and life lessons 50:55 Jeff’s “Big Prune”: letting go of a lifetime of stuff *55:04 Caller #2: Jeff’s laugh and the danger of analyzing your own humor* *1:06:38 Caller #3: Trauma, addiction recovery, and religious observance at home* *1:32:58 Caller #4: Sensitivity, empathy, and the need for solitude* 1:48:27 Orson Welles, cold reading, intuition, and improv *1:54:51 Caller #5: Comedy, collecting, and letting go of a record collection* 2:12:06 Harold Ramis, Milton Berle, Jackie Mason, and Don Rickles 2:22:00 Origin of “Da Bears” and a George Wendt story 2:24:59 Woody Allen and Alan Alda 2:32:00 Hollywood, almost quitting comedy, and how television has changed 2:43:18 Jeff's motto in life ### 📺 Referenced Videos & Clips *Bill Buckner’s 1986 World Series Error* The infamous play that became part of Buckner’s story for decades. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18caPNisP2U *Larry David: Professional Basketball Player* The Curb Your Enthusiasm roundtable clip Jeff references when recalling Larry’s very serious ideas about his basketball abilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z_q533X_XU *Orson Welles on Cold Reading* The clip Rabbi Shais references about cold reading, phony psychics, and what happens when the performer starts believing his own abilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjPsnfysrp8 #JeffGarlin #CurbYourEnthusiasm #ImprovAndSpirituality #RecoveryAndFaith #AlAnon #ChicagoComedy #LarryDavid --- *For more classes from Rabbi Shais Taub:* 🌐 *Website:* https://www.soulwords.org/ *Follow Rabbi Shais Taub:* 📸 *Instagram:* https://www.instagram.com/rabbi_shais_taub 🎥 *TikTok:* https://www.tiktok.com/@rabbi_shais_taub 🐦 *X (Twitter):* https://www.x.com/ShaisTaub 📘 *Facebook:* https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573478244968 💼 *LinkedIn:* https://www.linkedin.com/in/shais-taub-81a95466/ 🎧 *Listen to the SoulWords Podcast:* 🎵 *Spotify:* https://open.spotify.com/show/51E7XHWFDbZCGJQz7CoAZP 🍏 *Apple Podcasts:* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soulwords-full-libr… *About SoulWords:* SoulWords is a virtual community hosted by Rabbi Shais Taub, where people come together to explore the spiritual insights of Torah and discover their unique purpose. This platform is here to facilitate your spiritual growth by sharing the mystical teachings of Judaism in contemporary language—making deep wisdom accessible and relevant to your life.