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Taskmaster The Podcast

Jason Mantzoukas - Series 21 Ep.8

28 May 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

12.367 - 38.256 Ed Gamble

Well, hello there. Welcome to the Taskmaster Podcast. It's Ed Gamble here, the host of the aforementioned Taskmaster Podcast. Very excited today. We are talking about Taskmaster Series 21, Episode 8. And you may have noticed that I'm in my house. I'm not in the caravan. This is a Zoom episode. I hope you've watched Taskmaster Series 21, Episode 8. Sorry we're not in the caravan.

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38.236 - 50.498 Ed Gamble

But we felt like we needed to get this guest on the show. It is, of course, former Taskmaster contestant from Series 19. He lives in America. It's Jason Mantzoukas. We're not going to turn down Mantzoukas.

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Chapter 2: How does Jason Mantzoukas feel about the new Taskmaster lineup?

50.518 - 74.219 Ed Gamble

We're not going to not get Mantzoukas on, are we? Come on. You know, and we're also not flying him over to do the Taskmaster podcast. That would be insane. And it's not within my personal budget or within the budget of the Taskmaster podcast. Alex probably could have shelled out for it, but he said he didn't want to. He just mumbled at me down the phone. But very excited to be speaking to Jason.

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75.522 - 84.763 Ed Gamble

Love Jason. Brilliant on the show. Can't wait to chat to him again on the podcast. Let's get on with it. This is Taskmaster Series 21, Episode 8, as discussed by Jason Manzoukas.

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87.241 - 115.898 Ed Gamble

welcome back jason to the taskmaster podcast yeah let's go and jason is bouncing around uh his house uh two very different men i'd say yeah don't tell them that don't let him in on the secret actually quite similar i'd say just slightly less dancing around you didn't call me an immediately you asked me how i was even though you were 20 minutes late even though i was so understanding because you had a photo shoot

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116.603 - 118.927 Ed Gamble

What a fucking asshole.

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Chapter 3: What behind-the-scenes stories does Jason share from Series 19?

119.208 - 133.833 Ed Gamble

I was not 20 minutes late. I was told Jason's going to be 10 minutes late. So what I did was I sat here and waited for Daisy to text me when you were on because my office is boiling. We're in a heat wave. I'm at the very end of my tether anyway, Jason. So don't give me this bullshit at the top of the episode.

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133.853 - 139.523 Jason Mantzoukas

Oh, wow. Oh, he's spicy. Oh, ladies and gentlemen, Spicy Ed has joined the show.

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141.494 - 150.971 Ed Gamble

We're here to talk about Taskmaster Jason, which you famously took part in, series 19. Your legend still rings loud and true in this country.

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151.112 - 155.74 Jason Mantzoukas

As far as I'm aware, just socially, have they done another season?

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156.243 - 162.178 Ed Gamble

Yeah, there was a whole other season straight after yours, and now we're on a whole other season.

162.198 - 166.269 Jason Mantzoukas

This is season 21. Wow, I don't hear anything about that.

Chapter 4: What interesting merchandise ideas does Jason propose?

166.369 - 172.665 Jason Mantzoukas

All I hear is just the adulation of people talking about season 19, baby.

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172.645 - 182.277 Ed Gamble

And you know what? I'm happy to say season for you because you are in America right now. We're on Zoom. I'm very happy you've joined us. So I'm happy to speak your language season-wise.

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182.297 - 191.488 Jason Mantzoukas

Oh, I love it. Is that your American accent? You're really opening that mouth wide. Is that what you guys think Americans talk like?

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191.669 - 197.556 Ed Gamble

What you got to do is do the mouth wide and let the tongue go dead.

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198.852 - 203.278 Jason Mantzoukas

Is that the advice you were given? I think I know why you're not getting these parts.

204.6 - 209.366 Ed Gamble

Genuinely, the advice I was given was to let your tongue just go completely floppy. Oh, that's interesting.

Chapter 5: What is the significance of Conkers and Coconkers in the discussion?

209.406 - 218.599 Ed Gamble

I bet that's right. Yeah, our accent is just a lazy, dead tongue. But it's lovely to have you here, Jason. It really is.

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219.2 - 223.105 Jason Mantzoukas

Oh, I'm thrilled to be here to talk about a fantastic season of Taskmaster.

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223.287 - 227.915 Ed Gamble

Have you been keeping up to date? Have you been watching every episode? Absolutely.

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228.195 - 245.503 Jason Mantzoukas

Absolutely. I'm loving this season. I think this season is great. And once again, as always, it is a joy to meet and discover people that I did not know prior. You know, I do not know Amy Gledhill's stuff. You know, Armando Iannucci, of course I know. I know Veep.

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Chapter 6: How does Jason compare his experience in Taskmaster to other contestants?

245.523 - 262.947 Jason Mantzoukas

I know. So, you know, but like Joanna Page is I'm obsessed with and I know kind of who she is, but I've never seen like the I've never seen what Joanna Page is famous for. So to me, my my joy is watching her just do Taskmaster.

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262.927 - 288.141 Ed Gamble

uh in even the most delightful way even most people in the uk this is a new introduction to joanna page i would say is that right oh yeah because she's most she's most famous for gavin and stacy which is an absolutely gigantic sitcom it's one of the biggest uk sitcoms of all time but you know she plays a very sweet very funny character in that show i think this is the first time a lot of people are being exposed to joanna page and her absolutely wild personality

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288.475 - 318.511 Jason Mantzoukas

Oh, okay, so she's known primarily as an actress, and her actual personality is not a cultural touchstone for you guys. No. That's good to know. Not much it will be. Wow, watching her do this stuff is pure joy. It is a delight. I'm enjoying her so much. And then Kumail Nanjiani, who... When I did my season of Taskmaster, I said to him, buddy, you gotta check out this show. You're gonna love it.

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319.132 - 321.875 Jason Mantzoukas

And you should try and get on this show.

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Chapter 7: What are the highlights of the current Taskmaster season?

322.015 - 333.67 Jason Mantzoukas

I introduced him to Taskmaster. He was like, at first he was like, I don't think it's good. I think it's bad. And then I said, take another look, watch my season. And then he said, oh, now I get it.

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336.147 - 348.655 Ed Gamble

He's going to be so mad I said that. Texts are going to arrive. He's not going to be happy about this. How are you enjoying Kumail's work on this season? Love it. Love it.

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348.856 - 361.5 Jason Mantzoukas

I love it. I'm really enjoying watching him. I think Kumail is... You know, he's having that thing where I'm watching the internal struggle at all times, which is absolutely delightful.

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Chapter 8: What insights does Jason offer about the tasks and contestants this season?

361.86 - 386.238 Jason Mantzoukas

And him partnered is so funny in that team of three. Joel as well. I'm sorry, I didn't mention Joel at the beginning. Again, Joel is someone like Amy that I didn't know at all. And his childlike wonder is absolutely nuts. So watching him, Amy, and Kumail bounce off each other is absolutely hilarious. I'm obsessed with this cast.

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386.298 - 407.346 Ed Gamble

I think it's great. Can you see within Kumail something which I don't think you had, which is a desire to win and get points? Because of course you would destroy Engulfing Flames, etc. But I think Kumail's mission is, yes, cause some chaos and be funny, but also I think there is a burning need within him to get points.

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407.36 - 429.94 Jason Mantzoukas

He is, here is, I think that less like me, I would say that Kumail is Gambellian in his desire to want to win and get points. And then his self-recrimination upon absolute failure as, you know, as Ed Gamble himself, I think would admit, was his issue as well.

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430.02 - 437.367 Ed Gamble

Yes, yes. And I think Kumail's going to be gutted to hear that because I believe going into it, his only aim was to not be like me.

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437.347 - 448.607 Jason Mantzoukas

Oh, whoa. Oh, see, that's it. I mean, that's it. If you're saying I don't want to be like that, you know you're like that. Yeah, exactly. I think that's the insight. Physician, heal thyself.

449.048 - 456.942 Ed Gamble

And you can't, the show, it's been said many times before, but the show, you can't conceal your personality in this. It will come out.

456.922 - 474.214 Jason Mantzoukas

No, and I really, and this happened to me so very vividly, which was I really felt like I could maintain my persona inside the show and found it to be absolutely constantly trying to strip it away and reveal what's underneath.

474.634 - 489.096 Ed Gamble

And I didn't like it one bit. Do you think it did strip away anything from you, Jason? Because it felt to me like you maintained a lot of your persona. Or did you find that when you peeled your persona away, it's simply a more concentrated version of your persona underneath?

489.116 - 515.505 Jason Mantzoukas

Well, it's funny because there would be moments, and they didn't keep it all, but there were definitely moments inside of what's on Alex's head where I did it for 90 minutes. If they had chosen, like I said, You know what, Ed? I'm glad I'm here, because I've got a couple of bones to pick with Taskmaster, big Taskmaster. Go for it.

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