Season Review: Tales from the Trip

 

 

Overview:

Comedy Central has enlisted some of your favourite comedians to share personal stories. Each comedian tells the tale of their most memorable drug-induced trip. Accompanied by original animation, the stories of mushrooms, DMT, and LSD taking people to other realities come to life. Recognizable names like Pauly Shore, Joel Kim Booster, and Duncan Trussell each take turns describing their psychedelic adventures in this unique YouTube series.

 

Our Take:

Every one of us has a few good stories is us. At least a few tales that can capture an audience at a party or entertain our friends. Most of us can regale people with stories about a murder that happened in our hometown, or our most memorable dream. Then there are the classic “how I quit my job”, or “my most drunken night” tales that are sure to entertain. But, at the top of the story-food chain, the king of stories people want to hear, is your wildest drug trip.

Most of you are recalling your own experiences now. My own adventure involved a music festival, some bad mushrooms, and an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party. But we don’t have to get into the gory details. At least not today.

The point is these tales about drugs that have powers to take us to whole new planes are enthralling. 

Tales from the Trip is all about digging out these stories and sharing them with the world. Comedy Central has enlisted an impressive group of comedians to regale audiences with these real adventures. The result is pure entertainment. These stories may take you back to a time in your life that you enjoyed thoroughly, yet often regret. Or, a time that you regret you didn’t enjoy thoroughly enough. Either way, hearing how psychedelics affected someone else is always enjoyable.

Most of the videos are about the struggle of trying to survive in reality when tripping on shrooms. And, if you have ever tried to hold up a conversation with a sober person while high, only to realize later how ridiculous you must have come off, then you understand the awkward humour. Especially when Billy Wayne Davis talks about meeting Oprah, or Pauly Shore crying with his mom while peaking.

The surprise hit for me was Ramin Nazer explaining how he got lost in the multiverse. A few hits of DMT, care of Shane Mauss, sent Nazer to another plane of reality. Though this left him with no way back to what he once called home. The end involves Nazer certain that he returned to the wrong timeline and is now living a life that isn’t his. Which must have hit a lot harder when Trump became president, and we all got locked in because of a flu. If I were him, I would be trying to find my way back to my original reality.

There are plenty of great stories, just like that one in the 21-episode series. Each episode runs for 5-10 minutes making it easy to binge.  However, when I was watching, I had to step away after one or two just to come back to Earth. The animation that goes with each video is well done in its ability to visualize a psychedelic experience. But it does make it a little intense to watch a whole bunch consecutively. Though I can not recommend giving Tales from the Trip a watch. Mostly because I would recommend hearing these stories from anyone, never mind your favourite comedians accompanied by visuals.