Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac

Johnny Mac covers Andrew Schulz discussing on Fox News being cast as Dan Hibiki in Street Fighter, joking the character is “all confidence, no ability.” He highlights Katt Williams’ memoir Nine Lives, No Wives, and Sixty-nine Concubines, where Williams says stories of perseverance and his prayer life shaped his path and he aimed for transparency while changing details. Jason Sudeikis talks on the Talk Easy podcast about whether Saturday Night Live could work post–Lorne Michaels, noting the weak 1980–1985 era, warning a successor may lack Michaels’ leverage, and suggesting Tina Fey or Seth Meyers. Ali Siddiq disputes claims he started comedy in pr...

Kenan Thompson tells Axios Live he doesn’t know Shane Gillis as mean but would want a conversation if he returned, stressing balance between creative freedom and avoiding harmful words while noting Gillis controversy overshadowed newer cast member Grace and musical guest Rosalía. He notes Jon Stewart will remain on The Daily Show through the next presidential election (hosting Mondays) and highlights Michael Kosta’s segment about Trump repeatedly objectifying male candidates’ looks. New releases include Netflix’s Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story and a YouTube special from Alfred Robles executive produced by Gabriel Iglesias; Janelle James announces...

Johnny Mac covers Jimmy Carr and Dana Carvey defending Shane Gillis’ joke controversy by emphasizing comedic intent, with David Spade noting SNL reactions depend on whether a bit kills or bombs. He reports Jon Stewart has signed a two-year deal to continue hosting The Daily Show once a week while remaining an executive producer. Podnews highlights Marc Maron’s resurfaced 2011 Norm Macdonald WTF episode in a “visualized” YouTube format. A harsh review of Theo Von’s new special “I’m Doing Fine” calls it rambling and unfunny compared to his podcast persona. Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo announce a 2027 Madison Square Garden li...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including criticism of Theo Von’s new special, highlighted by a Marc Maron bit imagining Hitler on Von’s podcast. Saturday Night Live UK takes shots at Shane Gillis during its Weekend Update segment, and James Austin Johnson appears as Donald Trump with Beetlejuice jokes. Jim Gaffigan appears on Fox Sports ahead of the Indiana–Ohio State game and headlines the 81st Al Smith Dinner with roast jokes about Trump, Mayor Eric Adams, and Chuck Schumer. The Simpsons gives Apu his first dialogue in a decade, now voiced by Sunil Malhotra, alongside comments from executive produc...

Johnny Mac previews the Knicks’ title-defense opener and leads with Blake Griffin launching “The Stepback with Blake Griffin” on Amazon/YouTube, aiming for John Oliver–style sports topics without game analysis and with fewer network constraints, including an episode on TV rights. He notes new releases from Theo Von (“I’m Doing Fine” on Netflix) and Chris Hardwick (“The Middle Ages” on the 800 Pound Gorilla YouTube channel), and highlights a Vice/Vanity Fair profile of Michael Che discussing his approach to audience reactions, age on SNL, and avoiding online discourse. Other items include Jon Stewart drumming with his band Church and State before d...

AI-generated, scantily clad Instagram influencers are copying viral stand-up clips verbatim—stealing jokes and sometimes likenesses—to drive traffic to NSFW sites, citing Wired’s reporting on comics including Julia Jasunas, Mandy Martino, and George Brett Olsen; Adam Mosseri says banning AI content isn’t practical but Meta wants to drive traffic to original creators. Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter add comedian Natalie Cuomo’s account of repeated theft and feeling violated by AI replicas with her tattoos. The episode also previews Comic Relief’s return at Carnegie Hall hosted by John Oliver, notes Aziz Ansari’s upcoming Netflix special taping in New...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including Michael Che’s new special Shot in Minnesota and his explanation to MPR that it’s about frustration around what’s happening in Minnesota without joking about specific victims; Minneapolis comedian Comrade Tripp critiques “wink” references but notes Che supports local independent venues. Dane Cook tells Deadline how his brother’s betrayal affected him years later, pushed him to face it, and oddly didn’t destroy his trust, describing relief after his brother was gone. Ali Siddiq tells The Butler Collegian the internet has worsened comedy by blurring skill sets and elevating easy crowd work, then nam...

Sebastian Maniscalco spent seven years as a waiter at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills while doing open mics at night. In 2025 he was the number three touring comedian in America. For most of that climb, the comedy world barely talked about him.

Johnny Mac explains who he is, how the act works, and how he built an arena career on slow-burn specials, Madison Square Garden, Scorsese and De Niro. Then the last twelve months: the Riyadh Comedy Festival, and the week some of the biggest names in comedy made videos addressed to him. What he said back...

Johnny Mac discusses a viral clip from a Jerry Seinfeld show after a pro-Palestine heckle, questions whether the exchange was a setup, and is surprised mainstream media hasn’t covered it; he later flags how Seinfeld quotes could look bad out of context. He revisits skepticism about Theo Von’s Netflix trailer, citing negative comments and possible recycled material. Mac reviews Michael Che’s new Netflix special (not his favorite) and shares Che’s comments on taking two years to build it, tweaking material up to taping, not knowing some hosts, and disliking performing in sketches. He cites Chris Rock on conte...

Johnny Mac focuses on criticism of Shane Gillis’ SNL monologue amid public discussion of a Cornell 2024 sexual assault case, citing Vogue’s Emma Specter, Jessica Valenti’s comments, a Today Show segment with Jenna Bush Hager calling the language derogatory, and Cecily Strong’s Instagram response referencing Cornell and New York law. The show notes Bobby Bones’ deleted TikTok calling one line funny and his subsequent apology, plus Saturday Night Network host John Schneider’s apology for initially missing the “whores” remark. It then contrasts commentary from National Review, The Hollywood Reporter, and Newsweek on timing, audience fit, and proportion of reaction. The...

Johnny Mac covers reactions to Shane Gillis, noting Michael Che’s joking Instagram stories about press questions, criticism from Phoebe Robinson, and gym “whore” posts from Ego Nwodim and Maren Morris; Flavor Flav and Travis Kelce also engage with a Dan Levy clip. He mocks The Daily Beast’s “MAGA-friendly” framing and discusses unaired footage of Gillis walking offstage before SNL goodnights, likened to Morgan Wallen’s earlier exit. A resurfaced 2011 Dave Chappelle bit is used to compare joke premises. Mac reviews specials from Sam Morril (weak closer), Jamie Foxx (unwatchable), and Louis C.K. (higher level). He cites an LA Times inter...

Johnny Mac covers Dan Levy’s Instagram response to Shane Gillis’ SNL monologue joke about women dressing “like whores” at the gym, with Levy calling such language misogynistic and urging men to defend women; he also cites Levy’s earlier post condemning “vile” talk. He recaps CinemaBlend’s look at past SNL monologue controversies and the mismatch between SNL audiences and stand-up crowds. Robert Smigel says SNL planned a Mike Ditka “Superfans” tribute but ran out of time. Theo Von’s Netflix special “I’m Doing Fine” premieres October 20, and a trailer features a hamster-bones bit. Sebastian Maniscalco had a chatty audience member remov...

Johnny Mac recaps Shane Gillis’ SNL appearance, including an on-air F-bomb, Mikey Day’s joke about it, and Gillis’ goodnights apology, while noting social media criticism of Gillis’ monologue about the gym, “gym gays,” women’s workout clothes, and a “gay or Hitler” hairline bit. He pivots to news that the Pentagon plans to livestream the execution of the Fort Hood mass shooter, then plays a profane George Carlin clip about televising capital punishment. The show covers CBS’s Comics Unleashed beating The Tonight Show in total viewers and the 18–49 demo, mentions Roy Wood Jr.’s Threads videos on royalties, and reports on Nikki Gla...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news while plugging episode two of his podcast “Is Late Night Dead?” and discussing Bill Carter’s view that Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Brooklyn week (with 150,000 ticket requests) shows late night remains a hot, hard-to-match format despite podcast evolution. Nate Bargatze tells Fox News he avoids politics, aiming for simpler, less polarizing comedy, and later tops Billboard’s August Boxscore for the sixth time in 2026 with $6.5M and 87,000 tickets, with Matt Rife and Max Amini next. Pete Davidson tells Variety he’s sober except for about four beers a year, quit drugs and weed, removed 200 tattoos tied to past...

Johnny Mac profiles Norm Macdonald, highlighting his belief that jokes should surprise and never pander, and noting that his death similarly shocked fans because he privately battled multiple myeloma diagnosed in 2013 that became acute leukemia, telling only family and producing partner Lori while continuing podcasts, Netflix work, talk shows, and scheduled 2021 dates. The script traces his path from Quebec City and Ottawa stand-up to writing on Roseanne and becoming the defining Weekend Update anchor in 1993, with a deadpan style that blurred absurdity and truth. It recounts his OJ Simpson jokes, conflict with NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer, and firing. It also...

Johnny Mac delivers daily comedy news, previewing Shane Gillis hosting Saturday Night Live and reporting that Joe Rogan renewed his Spotify deal, with The Wall Street Journal pegging it at $250 million and noting the show has 18 million Spotify followers and has been the most listened-to U.S. podcast since 2019. He recaps TMZ items including Kevin Hart’s sex tape partner possibly being pulled into a court battle and a heated ComplexCon confrontation between Chet Hanks and Eric Andre involving security and an ongoing social-media feud. He covers Bert Kreischer’s upcoming Miami-to-Cozumel comedy cruise, his “no rules” approach, and questions Kreische...

Sebastian Maniscalco issues a statement supporting comedians, denying responsibility for  removing Raw Comedy, and saying he will work with the company to highlight a variety of stand-up voices but needs time to build out the channel. 

00:00 Sebastian Responds
01:19 Steinbrenner Lesson
03:05 ABC Rotation Explained
08:11 LA Times Essay Reaction
09:36 Working Comics Matter
11:13 SNL and Cracked Take



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Daily Comedy News is hosted by Jo...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news led by Chris Rock’s New York Times interview: he discusses post-COVID therapy, insecurity, his film Misty Green, why he won’t give a “Hollywood is bad” speech, and says Bring the Pain would be bigger today because it would be less mainstream-lauded; he also says he’s moved on from Will Smith’s slap and critiques the Times’ lack of nuance, citing Bill Burr not being reviewed after selling out MSG. Bill Burr tells Variety he wouldn’t lunch with Mark Zuckerberg because friendships can limit satire, which some read as a Rogan dig. Nate Bargatze di...

Johnny Mac reports that John Mulaney’s Nov. 12 Victoria stop on the “Mr. Whatever” tour was postponed to March 5 due to a “soon to be announced TV commitment,” sparking speculation about a new project. Jamie Foxx’s new special, “Take Care of Yourself,” releases on Hulu and Disney+, covering his recovery, jokes about Kim Kardashian and the U.S. president, and his views on podcasts, Katt Williams, and sensitivity around roasts. Disney exec Dana Walden comments on the challenging late-night business as Jimmy Kimmel’s renewal remains undecided, while Conan O’Brien says traditional TV writer-room economics won’t return and discusses podcast...

Johnny Mac records a bonus Daily Comedy News episode early to discuss “Raw Dog Gate,” arguing SiriusXM’s Raw Dog/Raw Comedy rebrand under Sebastian Maniscalco has sharply reduced the number of comedians played and thus royalty income for working comics. Citing standupforstandup.org, he says total monthly spins stayed roughly 7,800–9,400, but the active roster fell about 66% (812 acts in April to 275 in September) and plays concentrated among top famous acts; he contrasts March 2026 top spins (including Liz Miele and Gianmarco Soresi) with September’s hit-heavy list led by Jim Gaffigan and Kevin Hart. He explains comedy-radio rotation principles and suggests an easy fi...

A Deadline report tells us SiriusXM replaced the long-running Raw Comedy/Raw Dog channel with “Sebastian Maniscalco’s Comedy Radio,” prompting Stand Up for Stand-Up and multiple comedians to argue the change harmed working-class comics by concentrating airplay and royalties among fewer, mostly famous (including deceased) performers. 

John plays clips from comedians including Liz Miele, Patton Oswalt, Myq Kaplan, Josh Johnson, Nick Swardson, Eugene Mirman, Jeff Garlin, and Matt Ruby, most praising Maniscalco personally while asking him and SiriusXM to restore broader rotation.  

00:50 Deadline Story Breakdown
01:36 Host Context And Rebrand Notes
04:24 Liz Miele Calls Out Changes...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including Bert Kreischer claiming Tom Cruise has his life meticulously scheduled, with edited sports in the gym and food and a steaming shower ready after workouts, while Kreischer says Cruise’s beliefs don’t bother him. Seth Meyers says he wants to keep hosting NBC’s Late Night beyond his current contract ending after the 2027–2028 season, though the host argues for making 12:30 “wacky” again and promotes his audio series Is Late Night Dead? Dane Cook tells Deadline about joking onstage about his brother stealing money, turning down an SNL audition, and wanting a career reset. Nikki Glaser...

Johnny Mac recaps comedy news: Jim Norton tells Fox News that Dave Chappelle is doing what comics should—being funny and sharing real thoughts—and critics can skip him or do better. Bill Burr argues mainstream journalism has been hollowed out into divisive 24-hour talking heads and says AI is being built to replace workers, not executives. Amy Poehler promotes Peacock’s 10-episode comedy-adventure Dig (with Mike Schur), set on an archeological site in Greece where four women uncover an artifact tied to an international conspiracy; Hugh Laurie co-stars. Taylor Tomlinson discusses a tough year of illness, doctor visits, therapy, fear s...

Johnny Mac cold-reacts to The New York Times’ list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, focusing mainly on comedies and frequently arguing many rankings are “criminally low” or overrated. He’s shocked by Community at #97 and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia at #78, questions shows ranked above Community, and notes unfamiliarity with titles like Better Things, Somebody Somewhere, Insecure, and Normal People. He praises Barry, Peep Show, Chappelle’s Show, Key & Peele, and The Americans; calls Ozark and Arrested Development overrated; critiques Parks and Rec and 30 Rock; and comments on list oddities like House of Cards imagery. He highlight...

Johnny Mac argues a 12-minute 2006 Philadelphia clip captures Bill Burr’s career: facing a hostile, drunk crowd after Tracy Morgan and Dom Irrera struggled, Burr delivered a profane takedown of the city and won a standing ovation by being “real,” not performing anger. He traces Burr’s path from Canton, Massachusetts (Emerson College, warehouse job) to Boston standup in 1992, New York in 1995, and the late-’90s NYC scene (Patrice O’Neal, Louis C.K., Dave Attell, Jim Norton) that shaped his honest, less-polished style; Patrice’s philosophy deeply influenced Burr, whose grief after Patrice’s 2011 death was public. The script covers Burr’s 20...

Johnny Mac delivers daily comedy news centered on Rolling Stone comments from Bill Burr about moving past anger, recently bombing with a hard Vegas opener, parenting his daughter and son, crying during a story about connecting with his daughter, and how Broadway’s Glengarry Glen Ross made him love theater while rejecting a Cats revival; he also plugs a Bill Burr deep-dive episode and an upcoming Norm Macdonald deep dive. The episode notes Burr, Pete Davidson joking about fatherhood at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, and Taylor Tomlinson telling The Hollywood Reporter she took After Midnight out of loneliness, struggled with il...

Johnny Mac covers Dane Cook posting surveillance video to identify a woman he says stole dog treats from his doorstep at 6 a.m., noting the coincidence with Cook promoting a new VOD film and discussing Cook’s comments to Deadline about a documentary framing his career like “Empire Strikes Back.” He highlights a Michael Che Netflix special trailer (Oct. 13), the Maria Bamford documentary “Paralyzed by Hope” (Oct. 23, Netflix), Chris Hardwick’s special “The Middle Ages” (Oct. 5 on 800 Pound Gorilla’s Gorilla Comedy Plus; Oct. 20 on YouTube), and Zainab Johnson’s “Toxically Optimistic” (Oct. 27, Netflix, co-produced with Higher Ground). Other items include Jason Zinoman on...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including Ford launching an ad campaign starring Nate Bargatze promoting dealership centers and mobile service with pickup/delivery, plus Bargatze discussing his self-focused, relatable comedy on Fox News. Tom Segura announces a 30-city “Preposterous” tour starting January 8 in Baton Rouge with presale at 10:00 AM and general sale Friday, October 2, and he’s listed for the Fastball Comedy Festival October 17 in Mesa, Arizona alongside Bill Burr and Dave Chappelle. Matt Rife also appears on Fox News. Mac previews upcoming episodes in his feed (a Bill Burr deep dive and a New York Times TV list reaction) and pl...

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including Bruce Springsteen canceling a scheduled Jimmy Kimmel Brooklyn appearance with Tom Morello (Morello still appears), with Amy Schumer as the replacement guest alongside Howard Stern. He notes Sam Morril’s new Netflix special, Incorrect, and shares a Good Day LA intro and clip about modern attention spans. He highlights the release of Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story and Cook’s comments about his mother warning him about his brother, who allegedly stole from him, and Cook wanting to confront him. Mac summarizes a New York Times piece on SNL’s James Austin Johnson fearin...

Johnny Mac covers influencer Brielle Adams-Wheatley’s Instagram call-out of a standup bit attributed to Nikki Glaser about Adams-Wheatley (a trans creator born with no limbs); Glaser apologizes in messages, says the joke was inaccurately described but still “dumb,” and says she’ll remove it. He highlights Yakov Smirnoff on Joe Rogan describing his family listening to Voice of America, fear in the USSR, and leaving after a Jimmy Carter grain-for-exit deal. He discusses Taylor Tomlinson’s new book excerpts about quitting After Midnight after years of overwork, not calling Stephen Colbert first, CBS refusing a fill-in host when she was sick...

Johnny Mac previews Netflix’s Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald (premiering Friday, Oct. 16, directed by Judd Apatow), described as an archival-footage documentary tracing Norm’s rise on Weekend Update and legacy as a “comedian’s comedian.” He notes Chris Fleming’s Emmy frustration bit and jokes about handing NBC’s 12:30 slot to Fleming. He covers Anthony Jeselnik launching a book club podcast on Bill Simmons’ network, plays a Jo Koy weather-segment clip, and revisits backlash to Koy’s Taylor Swift Golden Globes joke while mentioning criticism of Swift’s new song. He discusses conflicting reports about Jimmy Kimmel’s future at ABC, John Cl...

Marc Maron recorded 1,686 episodes of WTF with Marc Maron. For the final one, he went back to Barack Obama, the guest whose 2015 visit to Maron’s garage became a defining moment in podcast history.

In this Comedy Deep Dive, Johnny Mac tells the story of Marc Maron and WTF, from Maron’s turbulent years in stand-up and radio to launching a podcast out of his garage and becoming one of comedy’s most important interviewers.

We revisit the unlikely rise of WTF, Maron’s reputation for being brilliant, combative and occasionally difficult, his years at Air America...

Johnny Mac delivers comedy news including Stavros Halkias blaming private equity for fast-food quality declines, citing Wendy’s lettuce and Jersey Mike’s changes. Chris Rock, speaking at TIFF, says he asked Adam Sandler for advice on moving into drama, praises Uncut Gems and Punch-Drunk Love, notes he lacks “Madagascar money” post-divorce, and mentions his film Misty Green arriving October 9. Jay Leno responds to criticism for avoiding partisan comedy, with commentary from Christian Toto about late-night audiences. Jo Koy describes shifting comedy late-night culture from cocaine and drinking to vaping/edibles. Nick Thune discusses his newly taped special Never Always and work...

Bill Burr on Finding His Voice, Conan’s Tonight Show Return, and Seth Meyers’ Longer Breaks
Johnny Mac shares daily comedy news featuring Rolling Stone’s cover story on Bill Burr and clips where Burr discusses finding his voice, moving away from being “the angry guy,” East Coast vs. West Coast attitudes, and comments related to The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s Facebook film starring Burr as investor composite “Charlie,” in theaters October 9. The episode also covers Conan O’Brien returning to The Tonight Show and joking with Jimmy Fallon, plus Conan recounting Johnny Carson’s advice to “be yourself.” Seth Meyers...

Johnny Mac covers several comedy stories: Live Nation Studios, Kevin Hart’s Heartbeat, and All Things Comedy are producing Golf Trip, an ensemble film starring Tom Segura, Andrew Santino, and Timothy Simons about three friends whose annual trip is disrupted when they’re paired with an intrusive solo golfer; Mac is skeptical the project will be good. Ron White on Joe Rogan’s podcast calls Kill Tony an important launching pad only if comics are prepared, discusses why he bans openers from doing crowd work, and shares health changes after moving to Austin. Carrot Top (Scott Thompson) is hospitalized and recove...

Johnny Mac delivers comedy news including Stavros Halkias blaming private equity for fast-food quality declines, citing Wendy’s lettuce and Jersey Mike’s changes. Chris Rock, speaking at TIFF, says he asked Adam Sandler for advice on moving into drama, praises Uncut Gems and Punch-Drunk Love, notes he lacks “Madagascar money” post-divorce, and mentions his film Misty Green arriving October 9. Jay Leno responds to criticism for avoiding partisan comedy, with commentary from Christian Toto about late-night audiences. Jo Koy describes shifting comedy late-night culture from cocaine and drinking to vaping/edibles. Nick Thune discusses his newly taped special Never Always a...

Johnny Mac closes out the poolside season with Pete Davidson and Colin Jost’s Staten Island Ferry comedy night, major Saturday Night Live cast news, and the competing accounts in the Chelsea Handler–Salma Hindy dispute.

Pete Davidson and Colin Jost finally put their famously unusual ferry purchase to work, transforming the decommissioned Staten Island Ferry into a floating comedy venue. Johnny breaks down the jokes about the Coast Guard, the brutal heat, and the realities of staging stand-up aboard a boat. Performers discussed include Matt Richards, Casey Shornima, Ronny Chieng, Jay Jurden, Paul Virzi, Mike Vecchione, and Cait...

Johnny Mac shares comedy news including Taco Bell partnering with Kevin Hart to promote the Live Más Open on Nov. 2, where fans can qualify via Topgolf’s Shot Shuffle or an online sweepstakes to compete in a team golf event for a chance to bring back a chosen Taco Bell menu item; qualifiers run through Sept. 27, with a quote from Topgolf CEO David emphasizing accessibility. Chris Rock, at TIFF, says it’s harder to be Tom Cruise than U.S. president. Stavros Halkias tells GQ he’s chasing one undeniable stand-up special and continues podcasting mainly for money and schedul...

Johnny Mac delivers comedy news featuring Chris Rock discussing how fame has shifted from perks like free stuff to realizing fan interactions can make someone’s day, and accepting celebrity as part of who he is. A GQ profile of Stavros Halikis covers fan encounters, the origins and appeal of the “Cum Town” podcast, its unexpected success, and his decision to leave despite major income to focus on his own work after self-funding projects. Jay Pharoah says comedians help people laugh through pain, notes Jay-Z enjoys his impression, and jokes about audience members sitting up front. Eric Idle tells The Telegr...

Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story drops September 29, the documentary about the half-brother who stole twelve million dollars and hid it in pasta sauce. Before you watch it, Johnny Mac traces the full Dane Cook story: the website he built with his retirement savings before anyone thought that was smart, the MySpace page that got to a million and a half followers before social media was a strategy, Retaliation debuting at number four on the Billboard 200, the arena tours, the joke theft accusations and the four years of public warfare with Louis C.K. that got resolved in a genuinely...