Actor Paul Giamatti and philosopher Stephen Asma host Paul Giamatti's CHINWAG with Stephen Asma. "Chinwag" is a British expression that means "a friendly conversation." The hosts have a dialogue with fascinating people about unusual topics. They want to know about spirituality, states of consciousness, and the human psyche.
One episode features former FBI criminal profiler and psychiatric nurse Candice DeLong. Some refer to Candice as the real-life Clarice Starling (a character from The Silence of the Lambs). Paul and Stephen are curious about serial killers. They ask whether they ever derive sexual satisfaction from killing people. Candice shares that this is often part of a male serial killer's motivation. She continues to describe how male serial killers hunt their victims.
In another podcast episode, medium Theresa Caputo talks about her unique ability. The hosts ask about accepting the fact that she was able to communicate with the dead. Theresa replies that by doing so, she was able to manage her anxiety. She found purpose when she realized she could use her gift to benefit others. Theresa talks about how many people struggle to heal when someone close to them dies. So she only uses her gift to help people heal. For example, she does not use it to aid the police.
Stephen and Paul have fun talking to actor William Shatner in another CHINWAG episode. They discuss how some cultures offer their dead to animals, such as vultures, to eat. This allows that person's body to return to nature. The Star Trek legend enjoys their conversation. He compares the way he feels at the end to post-coital bliss.
The conversations on Paul Giamatti's CHINWAG are lively and familiar. This is true of many podcasts. What makes this one special is that the topics are not subjects people often discuss. Most episodes run about an hour, and new ones upload weekly.
Episodes