Poop Talk

Poop Talk is a documentary-style film released in 2017 which explores human beings' relationship with poop. The film features interviews with comedians, actors, and other entertainers, who share their own humorous, personal, and occasionally poignant stories involving their bowel movements.

The film is directed by Aaron N. Feldman and stars a variety of personalities, including Steve Agee, Joel Brown, and Nicole Byer. They are just some of the many comedians and entertainers that candidly and hilariously discuss their experiences with, and views on, poop. One of the great things about this film is that it seeks to break down the social taboo that surrounds poop and encourages viewers to laugh alongside the interviewees.

The film showcases numerous talking heads with a bunch of big names in comedy. We see Eric Stonestreet of Modern Family fame, who relates stories about being unable to make it to the bathroom, especially during an awkward date. There's also Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme of Super Troopers, who tell us about a time when they inadvertently tasted each other's lab-grown poop bacteria. One standout story comes from Nick Swardson, who shared how he ate a pot brownie that resulted in an unexpected five-minute bowel movement of immense proportions on an airplane.

The interviews are broken up by animations, infographics, and even a few poems that try to provide an educational aspect to the film. Some of the sentiments from the interviewees are familiar to anyone who has spent more than a few seconds on social media, with comments on the scale of wiping, toilet seat covers, and public restrooms filling the film. However, it's the overall relatability of the stories shared that makes Poop Talk entertaining.

In one of the film's funniest segments, Jim Norton shares a tale of accidentally administering an enema with a saline solution before an audition, resulting in such a catastrophic release that he needed to blindly stumble across a crowded street to a nearby hotel. The matter-of-fact way in which he recounts this story is just one of the many moments where the film's subjects present our most basic of bodily functions in a supremely entertaining light.

The film is not just a series of jokes, however. Poop Talk explores cultural attitudes towards bowel movements, embarrassing bowel-related incidents, and the science behind said incidents in the gastrointestinal tract. The film touches on a variety of subjects, such as the history of toilet paper, colonic irrigation, bowel cancer, and fecal transplants. In one poignant segment, Felipe Esparza shares a humorous but thought-provoking story about how his father used humor to bond with his son when he was going through cancer treatments.

Poop Talk is an attempt to start conversations about something that we all do daily, but too often is seen as forbidden. The film doesn't have a traditional story arc, but it takes the viewer on a wild and weird ride on the subject. It begins by introducing us to the interviewees and offers a summary of their experiences with poop, followed by summaries of scientific research on human bowel movements. The movie manages to remain entertaining despite expending a considerable amount of time sharing sometimes uncomfortable truths about poop.

In summary, Poop Talk offers up frank, occasionally crude, and surprisingly informative discussions about our most intimate bodily functions. It proves to be both funny and educational, and for those who love crass toilet humor, this film is a fantastic way to pass the time. If you're someone who's easily offended or squeamish about such matters, then Poop Talk is not for you. But for everyone else, the film is an enjoyable watch that will make you laugh, think and, perhaps, appreciate the humor in our embarrassing moments.