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Colin Quinn on Incels, Woke Activists, and Peaking at 14

whatshot 19 snips

Jan 29, 2026

Guest

Colin Quinn

Colin Quinn, veteran New York comic and author known for sharp stand-up and one-man shows, chats about A Confederacy of Dunces and why it still makes him howl. He links Ignatius to modern online outrage and incel culture. He unpacks the novel’s odd love story between opposites, the craft that lifts low comedy into literature, and how reading fuels stand-up material.

52:57

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Transcript

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Episode notes

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Early Comedy Humbling

Colin Quinn says he "peaked comedically at 14" and found standup terrifying at first.
He kept doing it despite early boos and rejection because the mid-80s comedy boom created community.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Laughing On The Subway

Colin first read A Confederacy of Dunces around age 19 and laughed out loud on the subway.
He immediately loved the book and rereads it often because it still makes him cry with laughter.

insights

INSIGHT

Ideas Over Actions

Ignatius Reilly embodies the tension between grand opinions and lousy actions that feels modern.
Colin argues the novel mocks everyone equally and shows how opinion can substitute for meaningful action.

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Colin Quinn's Beginnings in Comedy

01:18 • 1min

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Reading and Comedy: How Books Shape Perspective

02:19 • 1min

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Why A Confederacy of Dunces Mattered to Colin

03:29 • 2min

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The Novel's Tragic Publication History

05:47 • 3min

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Summary: Ignatius Reilly and the Plot

08:55 • 1min

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Is Ignatius a Genius or a Fool?

10:14 • 2min

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Ignatius as a Modern Incel and Online Outrager

12:12 • 5min

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Don Quixote, Picaresque Roots, and New Orleans Setting

Myrna Minkoff: The Woke Activist Love Interest

20:57 • 3min

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Colorful Supporting Characters and Southern Gothic Tone

24:02 • 30sec

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Why the Novel Is High Art Despite Low Comedy

24:32 • 4min

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Toole's Editing Struggles and Authorial Tragedy

28:23 • 1min

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Writing Comedy for Page vs. Stage

29:51 • 4min

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Comedy and Literary Perception of the World

33:26 • 8min

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Comedy Culture, Cancelation, and Boundaries

41:49 • 4min

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Literary Influences and Favorite Writers

45:30 • 2min

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Great Performances and Current Funny People

47:10 • 60sec

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Being a 'Comics' Comic and Audience Differences

48:10 • 42sec

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Can America Use More Irony and Humor?

48:51 • 1min

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New York City Observations and Final Thoughts

• Mentioned in 41 episodes

Gulliver's travels

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is a satirical masterpiece that uses fantastical journeys to critique human nature and societal flaws. Gulliver's encounters with Lilliputians, Brobdingnagians, and other fantastical creatures serve as allegories for political and social issues of Swift's time. The novel's sharp wit and biting satire continue to resonate with readers today, offering a timeless commentary on human folly and the complexities of power. Gulliver's experiences highlight the absurdity of human conflict and the importance of reason and moderation. The book's enduring popularity stems from its ability to entertain while simultaneously provoking thought and challenging readers' assumptions.

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Dom Quixote

Xavier, Alberto

Don Quixote, written by Miguel de Cervantes, tells the story of Alonso Quixano, a middle-aged gentleman who, influenced by his extensive reading of chivalric romances, decides to become a knight-errant. He renames himself Don Quixote and, with his squire Sancho Panza, embarks on a series of adventures. These adventures often involve Don Quixote's misinterpretation of reality, such as mistaking windmills for giants and inns for castles. The novel explores themes of reality vs. imagination, the decline of chivalry, and the human condition. Eventually, Don Quixote returns home, regains his sanity, and renounces his chivalric ambitions before his death.

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Huckleberry Finn

Joanne Suter

This adaptation of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' by Joanne Suter retains the core elements of Mark Twain's original story while making it more approachable for students. The book follows Huck Finn and the runaway slave Jim as they embark on a journey down the Mississippi River, confronting various challenges and social issues of pre-Civil War America. The adaptation includes eight pages of end-of-book activities to enhance the reading experience and facilitate learning.

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• Mentioned in 25 episodes

A Confederacy of Dunces

John Kennedy Toole

A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel that tells the story of Ignatius J. Reilly, an overweight, unemployed, and intellectually arrogant man living with his mother in New Orleans. The novel is a rich satire that critiques modern society through Ignatius's interactions with a diverse cast of characters, including his mother Irene, his girlfriend Myrna Minkoff, and various eccentric figures from New Orleans. Written in the early 1960s while Toole was in the army, the book was published posthumously in 1980 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981. It is celebrated for its witty and absurd portrayal of life in New Orleans and its memorable protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly.

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• Mentioned in 15 episodes

The Moviegoer

Walker Percy

Walker Percy's "The Moviegoer" is a philosophical novel that explores themes of alienation, meaning, and the search for authenticity in modern society. The story follows Binx Bolling, a young stockbroker in New Orleans, as he grapples with existential questions and the search for meaning in his life. Percy's writing is characterized by its wit, intelligence, and insightful exploration of human nature. The novel blends elements of Southern Gothic and existentialism, creating a unique and thought-provoking narrative. It's a story about finding one's place in the world and the challenges of living a meaningful life.

In this episode, legendary comic Colin Quinn dives into a cult classic that still makes him cry with laughter: John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces.

The novel follows the misadventures of an overweight, pretentious misanthrope still living with his mother in 1960s New Orleans. It’s a book that turns fart jokes into high art. It’s also, somehow, a love story between a fat incel and a woke activist—a seemingly absurd pairing that just may be a prescient solution to our modern polarization problem.

Plus, Colin and Shilo dig into the parallels between great comic writing and great standup: Both give language to things audiences half-know but have never quite articulated, making the familiar suddenly, painfully funny.

Old School is proudly brought to you by the Jack Miller Center. If you believe in the importance of civic education and want to help prepare the next generation to carry on our democracy, join us at JackMillerCenter.org.

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