A former writer and performer for Saturday Night Live, he says that each episode was written in one night, “and by night I mean eight, nine PM, until three, four in the morning.” A former U.S. Senator from Minnesota, he does not say how tax laws are written. Continue reading »
Category Archives: Comedy
442: Eleanor Morton
I stumbled upon the short videos this Scottish comedian posts online and was immediately won over by her conversation between C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien: she plays both of them. What comic does C. S. Lewis? Smart, dark, funny: the Triple Crown. Continue reading »
9: Susie Essman
She’s best known for her sharp and funny portrayal of the foul-mouthed Susie Greene on Curb Your Enthusiasm, an overnight success she achieved after decades as a working comic. We met when she did the warmup for The Rosie O’Donnell Show, displaying the rare ability to induce laughter in the morning. Continue reading »
Episode 10: Samantha Bee
We spoke a few years ago for one of our first episodes, when she was a correspondent for The Daily Show, before she created her own show, Full Frontal, and before we could even imagine a President Trump, who makes us so desperately need Full Frontal and powerful mind-numbing drugs. Smart, funny, and humane, she … Continue reading »
Episode 143: Andy Borowitz
After creating the TV series Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he did something radical: left TV, came back east, and returned to writing prose, to the delight of the fans of The Borowitz Report. In this episode, taped at JCC Manhattan, he riffs on Donald Trump, ponders why Cleveland produces great comics and bad ball clubs, and reads … Continue reading »
Episode 78: Sean & Chris Kelly
Two generations of humor writers. Sean was a founding editor of the National Lampoon; His son Chris was the head writer on Bill Maher’s first series. Plus a bonus segment from Daniel Radosh and Tim Carvell, recorded when they wrote for Jon Stewart. PERSON: musician Steve Goodman PLACE: the Grave of Wilfred H. Hell (not here) … Continue reading »
Episode 68: Judy Gold
She is the writer and performer of two off-Broadway shows, a regular on The View, an Emmy-winning writer & producer for Rosie O’Donnell. All very impressive. But what I like about her: she is the anthropologist of post-war suburban Jewish life – my life, the world I grew up in – which she observes acutely, … Continue reading »
Episode 58: Alan Zweibel
Alan Zweibel enjoyed early success on the first five seasons of Saturday Night Live, often writing for Gilda Radner, with whom he shares the rare ability to be simultaneously funny and sweet. He went on to write some of the smartest shows on television, including Garry Shandling’s. Since then, he’s given us plays and books, … Continue reading »
Episode 53: Dean Obeidallah and Negin Farsad
Born in New Jersey, Dean is the son of a Palestinian father and a Sicilian mother. Negin’s parents, Iranian immigrants, raised her in Palm Springs, something that would have been impossible in Iran. Or in New Jersey. Recently they assembled a group of comedians, mostly Muslim, and toured what might seem to be inhospitable parts … Continue reading »
Episode 42: Upright Citizens Brigade
It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Upright Citizens Brigade to comedy in New York. In their performances, at their theaters, and in their classes, they’ve influenced a generation of performers, particularly in improv and sketch comedy. These days, Matt Besser lives in Los Angeles and hosts the podcast Improv for Humans. Matt Walsh … Continue reading »
Episode 32: John Fugelsang
An actor, writer, and comic, John Fugelsang is the host of pretty much the entire Current TV lineup during its transition to Al-Jazeera. His Off-Broadway solo show, “All The Wrong Reasons,” recounts the unusual courtship of his parents, a Franciscan brother and an ex-nun. For reasons too complicated to explain, John may be the single … Continue reading »
Comedy / Movies / Television
Episode 26: Rachel Dratch
Rachel Dratch isn’t just from Massachusetts, she is the voice of Massachusetts, at least for fans of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006. These days, she appears often on Inside Amy Schumer and Broad City. This episode, recorded in 2013, was posted as a podcast but never broadcasted. Here it is, recut and … Continue reading »