← Back to All Funnies
Sufferin Psychic • Earl Knows Best

Sufferin Psychic • Earl Knows Best

January 31, 2026

Act 1: Ringy Dingy
Earl (slouched, dingy apartment, stained muscle shirt, feet on desk, eating cold pizza) answers a ringing phone.
EARL

(mouth full) Sufferin Psychic Hotline. I see all… except what you ate last night. What ails you?

Caller (nervous young woman), Earl picking pepperoni off pizza.
CALLER

Will I ever find true love? I keep dating losers.

EARL

(no effort) Nah. You keep picking guys who just use you for sex… You must be hot, huh?

Caller gasps.
EARL

What? Was it something I said? I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this thing. Good lord.

Caller hangs up.
Act 2: Cheater Dilemma
Earl wipes a pizza grease stain into his shirt. Phone rings. He looks and answers.
EARL

Sufferin Psychic Hotline. Still here, still broke. What's up?

Caller (middle-aged man, voice shaky).
CALLER

I think my wife is cheating. Are you able to see into the mystic for anything about that?

EARL

(grunts) Yeah… I see it clear as day. She's banging the pool boy. Or the mailman. Or both. Probably both. You work long hours…

Caller goes silent. Earl chews on pizza crust.
EARL

(mouth full) Am I right?

CALLER

…Yeah. But, how you know I work long hours though? You must really be a psychic.

EARL

Because every married sucker who calls this line asking about a cheating wife always works long hours, you dope. It's the universal excuse for why the wife starts veering. (chuckles) You ain't special, pal. You're just a predictable sad sack of lump and she's looking for excitement.

Earl tosses the crust back in the box.
EARL

When you're done sulking alone in your car cuz you're too scared to go in there and confront her, send her my way. I could use a little fun.

The call is disconnected. Earl shrugs.
EARL

Another satisfied customer. Clock's still running. Who's next?

Act 3: From The Beyond
Earl yawns and scratches his belly. His lifts his arms to stretch and is offended by the smell of his own arm pits. Phone rings again. He takes another bite and answers.
EARL

(mouth full) Sufferin Psychic Hotline. Make it quick, I gotta take a shit.

CALLER

My son… he passed last year. I just want to know… is he okay? I mean, is he at peace?

Earl stops chewing. He sets his pizza slice down. Long pause.
EARL

I'm looking into my crystal ball. I'm seeing something. I'm seeing something. I'm seeing…

CALLER

Is it my son? Can you see him?

EARL

Look, ma'am. I'm just pulling your chain here. I ain't gonna feed you some bullshit about seeing him in some meadow with deer and angels and all that, telling you he'll be alright. I don't know. I don't see no dead people. I don't see anything. And if I'm being quite honest, I don't even own a crystal ball.

Caller scoffs.
EARL

But I can tell you this… You need to get over it. There's a whole life outside your son and his sudden passing. You need to get out there and experience it. You can't just sit around your house worrying about him in the afterlife. He probably died just to get away from you.

CALLER

Why I'd never.

EARL

Hey, I'm not gonna sit here and bog you down with a bunch of false hope and sunshine. I'm gonna cut it to you straight.

Earl takes another bite.
EARL

(mouth full) It's what you're paying me for.

CALLER

(soft) Well… thank you for not lying to me.

EARL

(another bite) Hey, I'm just doin' my job, ma'am. You shouldn't be such a smother, let the kid rest in peace for crying out loud.

Caller sniffles and hangs up gently. Earl swallows his bite and sits in silence for a long moment. He looks at the phone and sighs deeply.
EARL

Another day, another dollar…

Phone rings again. Earl picks it up.
EARL

Sufferin Psychic Hotline. What's your problem?