Paul Scheer’s Top 3 Embarrassing Places
Dylan Thuras hosts the Atlas Obscura Podcast, celebrating wondrous places, and today features actor and comedian Paul Scheer. Thuras asked Scheer to choose three places that fundamentally shaped his life. Scheer selected locations tied to personal trauma and embarrassment, viewing these difficult experiences as formative. His first influential place was Walt Disney World in Orlando, which he visited frequently as a child. During one trip, a severe lactose intolerance reaction led to a chaotic hotel incident with his father, forcing them to sneak out. Scheer’s second significant location was the Rocking Horse Ranch, a family resort in upstate New York. There, as a lonely child, he accidentally started a significant fire while playing with matches, an event that led to an intense interrogation by fire officials. He was ultimately saved from trouble by his stepsister, who falsely claimed they were together. The third place discussed is the San Diego Convention Center, specifically during Comic-Con. Scheer recounts an embarrassing attempt to speak with a celebrity there, which he vowed never to repeat. These three experiences, though cringe-inducing, profoundly influenced Scheer's approach to life as a parent and performer. He believes that like a diamond forged from coal, these challenging moments ultimately made him better.
