Doctor Vs Comedian

Snack Labs
  • 5.0 (10)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Is Laughter the best medicine? We attempt to answer this and other pressing questions in Doctor Vs Comedian. Dr Asif Doja is a pediatric neurologist and Ali Hassan is a stand up comedian and actor (CBC‘s Laugh Out Loud, Designated Survivor, Goon) who are each fascinated by what the other one does. In each episode, Asif picks a topic for Ali from comedy and entertainment and questions Ali about it. Then Ali picks a topic from medicine and health and grills Asif on that subject.We talk about serious subjects in an unserious way. If you want to hear about comedy, entertainment, health and wellness and don‘t want to have to choose between being entertaining AND informed, then this show is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. DEC 24

    Bonus Episode: Favourite Holiday Movies

    NB: We will be off on Dec 26 and Jan 2 and will return with new episodes on Jan 9, 2026.  As a special bonus for our loyal listeners, Ali and Asif present a special episode discussing their favourite Christmas/Holiday movies. Listen to hear what they think about ‘Elf’, ‘Scrooged’, ‘Home Alone’, ‘Christmas Vacation’ and other holiday classics. Also find out if they think ‘Die Hard’ is a actually a Christmas movie and why one of them hates ‘Love Actually’ with a passion.  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: “Love, Actually”: The worst Christmas movie ever: https://www.salon.com/2012/12/19/love_actually_the_worst_christmas_movie_ever/"Now I Have a Machine Gun. Ho Ho Ho.": https://www.slate.com/articles/arts/dvdextras/2007/12/now_i_havea_machine_gun_ho_ho_ho.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  2. DEC 19

    Favourite Entertainment from 2025

    NB: We will be off on Dec 26 and Jan 2 and will return with new episodes on Jan 9, 2026.  Today, Ali and Asif review their favourite entertainment from 2025. They discuss the best movies, TV shows, movies and books from the year (2:32). Listen to hear what they thought about ‘Fantastic 4: First Steps’, ‘Happy Gilmore 2’, ‘Sinners’, ‘Weapons’, ‘One Battle After Another’, ‘A Nice Indian Boy’, ‘Once Upon a Time Gaza’, ‘Adolescence’, ‘Mo’, ‘The Pitt’, ‘The Chair Company’, ‘The Studio’, ‘North of North, ‘The Beast in Me’, etc. They also discuss some comedy specials including specials by Mike Birbiglia, Bill Burr, Steph Tolev and Roy Wood Jr.  Then Asif asks Ali about the top medical news stories of the year (53:00). They discuss the good (the Nobel prize in medicine, CRISPR use in genetic disorders), the bad measles outbreaks) and the ugly (RFK Jr and MAHA).  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: Inside RFK Jr.’s first nine months leading HHS: https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/20/rfk-jr-hhs-track-record-examined-status-report/Tracking RFK Jr.’s promises to remake health in America: https://www.statnews.com/2025/09/10/rfk-jr-maha-promise-tracker-fact-check/Canada no longer measles-free as outbreaks spread: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/11/canada-loses-measles-free-elimination-statusA huge outbreak has made Ontario the measles centre of the western hemisphere: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/06/measles-outbreak-ontario-canadaFIFA’s Gianni Infantino faces ethics complaint over Trump peace prize: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/10/fifas-gianni-infantino-faces-ethics-complaint-over-trump-peace-prizeImmune system breakthrough wins Nobel medicine prize for US, Japan scientists: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/brunkow-ramsdell-sakaguchi-win-2025-nobel-medicine-prize-2025-10-06/?utm_source=chatgpt.comInfant with rare, incurable disease is first to successfully receive personalized gene therapy treatment: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/infant-rare-incurable-disease-first-successfully-receive-personalized-gene-therapy-treatment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 14m

  3. DEC 12

    Best Movies and Albums of 1995

    Today, Asif and Ali discuss their favorite movies from 1995 (2:07) and then they debate the best albums from that same year (23:33) (no medical topic today).  Listen to hear what made their list, what didn’t and what overlap, if they had. PLUS, they do a mini-medical topic, speaking about the stroke that musician Matthew Sweet had last year.  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: Ali’s 1995 Playlist: https://youtu.be/0wBDDAZkNtk?si=f6svpVWmV4KEJh_uAsif’s 1995 Playlist: https://youtu.be/8-r-V0uK4u0?si=z9Yv5xUzULH6pzLD‘I Had the Stroke, and It Was All Over’: Matthew Sweet’s Road to Recovery: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/matthew-sweet-interview-since-stroke-health-update-1235354779/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min

  4. DEC 5

    Donald Glover had a Stroke!

    Recently, actor Donald Glover announced that he had a stroke, so today Ali and Asif start off by discussing Glover’s career (1:16). They start off by discussing his early background and getting his break writing for ‘30 Rock’. They then talk about his breakthrough role on ‘Community’ and other acting roles such as Lando Carlissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’. Ali then speaks about Donald Glover’s alternate career as rapper “Childish Gambino. Finally they discuss Glover’s critically acclaimed show ‘Atlanta’.  Then Ali asks Asif about ischemic strokes (30:09) (and how they are different from brain bleeds). Asif talks about what strokes are as well as how common they are. He talks about the risk factors, causes as well what people need to be looking for regarding symptoms (using the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T.). Asif then goes over how strokes are diagnosed and treated. Finally Ali asks Asif about Glover stating he had a “hole in his heart” and how that might be related to his stroke.  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 Show Notes: Childish Gambino Freestyles Over the 5 Fingers of Death on #SwayInTheMorning | Sway's Universe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw2kaBQMocoEvery Episode of ‘Atlanta,’ Ranked: https://www.theringer.com/2022/11/11/tv/atlanta-fx-episodes-ranked-best-worst-seasonDonald Glover Reveals Stroke And “Hole In My Heart” Forced Him To Cancel 2024 Tour: https://deadline.com/2025/11/donald-glover-stroke-hole-heart-forced-cancel-tour-1236626789/Ischemic Stroke: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499997/B.E. F.A.S.T. to Spot a Stroke: https://www.universityhealth.com/blog/be-f-a-s-t-to-spot-a-strokePatent Foramen Ovale Management for Secondary Stroke Prevention: State-of-the-Art Appraisal of Current Evidence: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.040546 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min

  5. NOV 28

    Thank God Martin Scorsese has Asthma!

    Apple TV released a docuseries about filmmaker Martin Scorsese entitled “Mr Scorsese" so today Asif and Ali this series and their top 5 favourite Scorsese films. They start off by discussing the superb docuseries by Rebecca Miller (2:40), and the interesting facts they learned from it, including his childhood and early movies. The guys then each list their top 5 Scorsese movies.  Spike Lee has been quoted as saying “Thank God For Asthma” regarding how this disease made Scorsese stay indoors and watch  movies, so in the second half of the podcast, Ali asks Asif about this disease (35:10). Asif talks about what asthma is, how common it is and what causes/triggers it. Asif then talks about the symptoms, the different types as well as the treatment.  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 Show Notes: Mr Scorsese review – five hours isn’t nearly long enough to do justice to history’s greatest film-maker: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/17/mr-scorsese-review-martin-netflix14 Memorable Quotes From ‘Mr. Scorsese’: https://thereveal.film/14-memorable-quotes-from-mr-scorsese/Asthma: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430901/Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: https://aafa.org/asthma/asthma-symptoms/Asthma Canada: https://asthma.ca/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min

  6. NOV 21

    Marc Maron and the End of WTF / SSRI’s

    Marc Maron’s podcast WTF recently ended its run, so today Asif and Ali discuss Maron and his influence on comedy and podcasting (6:18) (after a brief digression on a fundraiser Ali recently went to). They begin by discussing Maron’s early life and career. They discuss him getting involved in radio and all the acting roles he has done in the past 20 years. They then discuss Maron’s recent stand up special “Panicked”. Finally they discuss WTF, the importance of the show for comedy and podcasting in general and the most memorable episodes.  In Marc Maron’s recent special he discusses SSRI’s (for his cats!)‚ so in the second half, they discuss these drugs (31:31). Asif talks about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, how they work and what they are used for. He then goes over the common types of SSRI’s as well as their potential side effects. Asif then discusses how sometimes people can have a difficult time coming off SSRI’s. Finally Ali asks Asif about other things that can be used for depression such as natural products and exercise.  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 Show Notes: Marc Maron’s Rawest Interview Yet. The Truth About Grief, Anger, and Connection: https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a65608892/marc-maron-wtf-podcast-legacy-interview/ Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554406/ Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/07/health/antidepressants-withdrawal-prozac-cymbalta.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront Adjunctive Nutraceuticals for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27113121/ Exercise as medicine for depressive symptoms? A systematic review and meta-analysis with meta-regressio: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/16/1049?trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_x-social-details_comments-action_comment-text Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials: https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-075847.abstract Great Depresh’ Comedian Gary Gulman Has 5 Tips to Get Through Isolation: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/big-depresh-comedian-gary-gulman-coping-isolation-1285949/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min

  7. NOV 14

    Zohran Mamdani the Rapper? / Yoga and Medicine

    Recently, Zohran Mamdani won a historic victory in New York City’s mayoral election. However he also had a rap career in the not too distant past. So today, Ali and Asif review 5 of Mamdani’s songs, done under the pseudonyms Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom (5:21). They discuss and grade the following songs: Wabula Naawe, PSV,  Kanda (Chap Chap), #1 Spice and Nani.  Then since Mamdani’s mother (acclaimed film director Mira Nair) is a big proponent of yoga, in the second half Ali asks Asif about medical uses of yoga (24:10). They start off (after a brief digression on cultural appropriation) by talking about the different types of yoga examined in medical studies (Hatha, Iyengar, and Viniyoga). He then discusses their use in back pain, mental health, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, and hypertension. 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 Show Notes: How 'Queen of Katwe’s Song “#1 Spice” Came to Be: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/queen-of-katwe-young-cardamom-hab-1-spice?fbclid=IwY2xjawN9q_JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFFY1djTkdRMEp6VnN3RVZQc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjI-M6frTU08Og6f_IbTa8WKRe1tLETWYkYoLnNSHGyyWuAVFD61J4yFy9K2_aem_d7pdILBunWYUB_sJ-E7TUQYoung Cardamom & Mr. Cardamom Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5upeWPTzFgc&list=PLh7rgup-OZBcT25Vokzjq-10LlI1D6282U of O students' decision to cancel yoga class sparks Internet backlash: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/u-of-o-students-decision-to-cancel-yoga-class-sparks-internet-backlashEvidence Map of Yoga for Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26181774/Yoga for symptom management in oncology: A review of the evidence base and future directions for research:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30933317/Yoga in autoimmune disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40631512/Ali’s Montreal restaurant recs:  Danny Smiles - Le ViolonMassimo Piedemonte - Cabaret L’enferAntonin Mousseau-Rivard - Le MoussoJean-Sébastien Giguère - Restaurant h3, La Cabane du Coureur, Le Coureur des BoisJanice Tiefenbach - Gia, Elena Ryan Gray - Nora GreyEmma Cardarelli - Nora Gray, Elena, and Gia Renée Deschenes-O’Hagan & Elias Louie Deligianis - Bistro La FranquetteStephanie Labelle - Owner Pastry Chef, at Pâtisserie Rhubarbe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min

  8. NOV 6

    Episode 234: John Candy, ‘I Like Me’ and Heart Attacks

    Today, the guys discuss John Candy and the recent documentary about his life, ‘I Like Me’ (3:31). The guys start off by discussing when they first saw John Candy on screen (spoiler: it was Splash). They discuss Candy’s early start on SCTV and then they go over his films and screen performances (Ali also berates Asif for not watching as many John Candy movies). They then discuss the documentary on his life ‘I Like Me’ and give their thoughts, as well as their responses to reviews on the movie.  Then since Candy died in his 40’s from a heart attack (and his father died in his 30’s from a heart attack as well), in the second half the guys discuss myocardial infarctions (MI’s) (27:40). Asif talks about the definition as well as how common MI’s are.  He then goes over the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for MI’s. Ali asks Asif about the symptoms of a heart attack as well as how it is diagnosed and treated. Finally, he goes over the prognosis as well as lifestyle changes that people should undertake after having an MI.  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 Show Notes: Funny Business: https://torontolife.com/deep-dives/funny-business-ryan-reynolds-new-documentary-john-candy-i-like-me/ ‘John Candy: I Like Me’ and the Challenge of Making a Film About a Nice Guy: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/movies/john-candy-i-like-me-film-about-nice-guy.htmlMyocardial Infarction: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537076/Myocardial Infarction: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/155919-overview#a9 Myocardial Infarction: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537076/Myocardial Infarction: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/155919-overview#a9 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
See All (243)

Trailer

Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Is Laughter the best medicine? We attempt to answer this and other pressing questions in Doctor Vs Comedian. Dr Asif Doja is a pediatric neurologist and Ali Hassan is a stand up comedian and actor (CBC‘s Laugh Out Loud, Designated Survivor, Goon) who are each fascinated by what the other one does. In each episode, Asif picks a topic for Ali from comedy and entertainment and questions Ali about it. Then Ali picks a topic from medicine and health and grills Asif on that subject.We talk about serious subjects in an unserious way. If you want to hear about comedy, entertainment, health and wellness and don‘t want to have to choose between being entertaining AND informed, then this show is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Channel
    Snack Labs
  • Creator
    Doctor Vs Comedian
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    243
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2021 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Doctor Vs Comedian

More From Snack Labs

You Might Also Like