Episode 171: Ali’s Top Comedy Specials / Brain Waves

Doctor Vs Comedian

A few episodes ago, we discussed the AV club’s top 40 albums of all time. Today Ali gives us a list of his favorite comedy specials that did NOT make the list (1:12). Ali discusses the following albums (not in order):

John Mulaney - BABY J (2023)

Norm MacDonald – NOTHING SPECIAL (2022)

Patrice O’Neal - ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (2011)

Chris Rock – BRING THE PAIN (1996)

Gary Gulman - NO CAN DEFEND (2012) / BORN ON THIRD BASE (2023)

Eddie Izzard - DRESS TO KILL (1999)

Bill Burr - I'M SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY (2014)

Mike Birbiglia - MY GIRLFRIEND’S BOYFRIEND (2013)

Ali Wong - BABY COBRA (2016)

Taylor Tomlinson – QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS (2020)

Then based on a listener suggestion and some recent news articles, the guys discuss whether it is possible to measure brain waves (25:18) (spoiler: it is and Asif does this every day at work). Asif talks about the history of recording brain waves aka electroencephalography or EEG. He goes into how it works, what the test consists of and what it is used for. The guys then loop back to the question from listener James about Apple’s patent for an Airpod that can measure brain waves. Ali then asks Asif about the drawbacks and dangers of EEG. Asif discusses some of the more dubious uses of EEG including qEEG and neurofeedback. He then goes over some news articles, including India convicting a woman using a brain wave test (the Brain Electrical Oscillations Signature test) and the questionable use of brain wave guided therapy on First Nations youth in Canada.

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Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

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• AirPods That Can Read Your Brainwaves: https://medium.com/@rushenwick/airpods-that-can-read-your-brainwaves-root-hack-87e4481c4ef7
• Apple Invents a next-generation AirPods Sensor System that could measure Biosignals and Electrical Activity of a user's Brain: https://www.patentlyapple.com/2023/07/apple-invents-a-next-generation-airpods-sensor-system-that-could-measure-biosignals-and-electrical-activity-of-a-users-brain.html
• Apple Reportedly Filed A Patent For Its AirPods To Feature Electrodes That Detect Brain Electrical Activity: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/apple-reportedly-filed-patent-airpods-221907828.html
• How Useful Is a Quantitative Electroencephalogram (qEEG)?: https://quackwatch.org/related/Tests/qeeg/
• Is neurofeedback effective for treating ADHD? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315261
• Neurofeedback for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Neuropsychological Outcomes From Randomized Controlled Trials: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27238063/
• Can Monitoring Brain Waves Boost Mental Health? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/12/well/mind/neurofeedback-therapy-mental-health.html
• Neurofeedback, sham neurofeedback, and cognitive-behavioural group therapy in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a triple-blind, randomised, controlled trial: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215036617302912
• The psychology of neurofeedback: Clinical intervention even if applied placebo: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-43854-005
• Inside the brain school: https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/brain-school-study-indigenous-biocybernaut-james-hardt
• India's use of brain scans in courts dismays critics: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/world/asia/15iht-15brainscan.16148673.html