Comedy History 101

Former Daily Show head writer Elliott Kalan (MST3K, The Flop House), Joke Farming) joins CH101 to discuss his new book, Joke Farming, and the nuts-and-bolts behind professional joke writing.

In this reprise episode: We go inside the Daily Show writers’ room with Jon Stewart, why MST3K once had too many jokes, how comedians write jokes on deadline, why inspiration is overrated, and how audiences complete every joke.

A behind-the-scenes look at joke writing, comedy craft, and how humor helps us make sense of the world.

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Why did Harpo Marx stop talking? How did Hollywood manage to derail Buster Keaton's career? And why was one of radio's biggest stars a ventriloquist?

Comedy historian Garry Berman joins Comedy History 101 to discuss his new book, 100 Years of Laughter: American Comedy in the Twentieth Century. We get into Charlie Chaplin's fear of talking pictures, the Marx Brothers' chaotic vaudeville years, the connection between Abbott and Costello's legendary “Who's on First?” routine and Nathan Fielder's latest documentary, plus how Ellen DeGeneres' Tonight Show debut drew on a routine that stretched back decades.

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What do Happy Tree Friends, Sonic the Hedgehog, Gumby, and Mr. Bumpy of Bumps in the Night have in common? Ken Pontac has been a creative force behind all these wonderfully bizarre projects

Ken joins CH101 to talk about how dropping acid before an Eraserhead screening led to working on Gumby, why tragedy equals comedy on Happy Tree Friends and the overall ethos behind his creative process.

Ken also has a new documentary, Colors of the Spectrum: Beauty in Neurodiversity, centerED on autistic artists at Autistry Studios, exploring the relationship between autism & creativity.

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Ophira Eisenberg is known for hosting NPR’s Ask Me Another, The Moth mainstage, and her new stand-up special, I Used to Be Nicer. She also has the distinction of filming her previous special when she was 8 ½ months pregnant.

Ophira joins Comedy History 101 to dive into the history of comedians who filmed their stand-up specials while pregnant.

From Joan Rivers pushing pregnancy taboos on The Ed Sullivan Show to Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra, Jena Friedman’s Ladykiller, Kira Soltanovich’s You Did This to Me, and Ophira’s own pregnancy special, Inside Joke.

At one ti...

O.J. Unseen: Exploitation of Evil is the new HBO Max doc series that revisits Juiced, O.J. Simpson’s trainwreck hidden-camera prank show. It was meant as a comeback project for the double “alleged” murderer.

And, I, Harmon Leon was hired off Craigslist to be O.J. Simpson’s “funny little sidekick.”

In this CH101 reprise episode, I go behind the scenes of Juiced and what it was really like pulling pranks with O.J. Simpson on the worst idea ever conceived for a reality TV show - now featured in O.J. Unseen: Exploitation...

You Can’t Do That on Television defined Nickelodeon—and gave the world GREEN SLIME!

Comedy History 101 talks to Abby Hagyard, who portrayed “Mom” on YCDTOT, to reveal the wonderfully weird history behind the Ottawa-based cult comedy classic.

From working with a young Alanis Morissette to kids telling jokes inside lockers, to the show’s Laugh-In, SCTV, and Monty Python influences. Plus, find out exactly what it felt like to be ‘slimed.”

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Stairway to Stardom was a legendary NYC public access TV show that gave singers, dancers, comedians, and dreamers a chance to become stars. It's a cult classic that fans include Bjork, Alec Baldwin, & Paul Scheer .

Long before social media, there was a Manhattan cable show that let people perform with the same passion they had dancing in front of their bedroom mirror - without fear of being torn down by the trolls.

In this Comedy History 101 audio documentary we explore the rise, fall, and unlikely rediscovery of Stairway to Stardom. Featuring interviews with archivist Mitch...

We dig into the CH101 archives for firsthand tales from The Comedy Store with Borat director Larry Charles, Emmy-winning Arrested Development writer Jim Vallely, comedian/voice actor Joey Camen, Marc Maron documentary writer/producer Julie Seabaugh, and Comedy Store vet Freddy Lockhart.

Larry Charles hustles $10 jokes to Jay Leno!

Richard Pryor wanting to kick Joey Camen's ass!

Mitzi Shore tells Gilbert Gottfried to 'open his eyes'!

Sam Kinison peeing on Marc Maron's bed!

Michael Richards arrives hours after his infamous meltdown!

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The Daily Show became a comedy institution when Jon Stewart took over from Craig Kilborn.

Former The Daily Show field producer Evan Cutler reveals how Jon Stewart reinvented the show, why Stephen Colbert stood out from day one, how Steve Carell got his break, and why The Daily Show stopped making fun of people—and started making fun of the news.

Plus Evan shares stories of John McEnroe’s ill-fated late night talk show that got a 0.0 TV rating.

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Go inside the origin stories of three of the most influential sketch comedy shows ever: The Kids in the Hall, SCTV, and The State.

Kids in the Hall co-founder Kevin McDonald, SCTV writer Chris Cluess, and The State with filmmaker Matthew Perniciaro (director of Long Live The State!) share how these legendary comedy groups got their start — from Second City and SCTV’s Emmy-winning run, to Kevin McDonald meeting Dave Foley and catching the attention of Lorne Michaels, to David Wain helping take The State from NYU to MTV.

Comedy History 101 digs into the archives for...

Mitch Hedberg is one of the most beloved and influential stand-up comedians in the history of comedy. He also made a movie, Los Enchiladas!

Comedian/Los Enchiladas co-star Brian Malow takes us inside the wild, DIY making of Mitch’s rarely seen cult comedy, set in a Mexican restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mitch turned a TV development deal into a scrappy feature film featuring future comedy heavyweights Marc Maron, Dave Attell, and Todd Barry.

Plus, Brian shares stories from years on the road with Mitch and offers a rare firsthand look at the comedian be...

Emmy winning comedy writer, Bob Illes, has been in the writers' rooms with some of the biggest names in comedy. From Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Martin Mull, Fred Willard, Bob Einstein, David Letterman, Lorne Michaels, and Norman Lear – to name a few.

Bob is also the author of the new book, Funny Is Money, where he chats about writing for such classic TV shows as The Carol Burnett Show, Fernwood Tonight, Sanford and Son, Silver Spoons, One Day at a Time, and of course, The Captain & Tennille Show.

We talk with co-directors Charlotte Knowles and Regash about their film, Palestine Comedy Club.

The acclaimed documentary follows a group of Palestinian comedians as they attempt to build a stand-up comedy scene under occupation—navigating checkpoints, restrictions, and censorship while using humor to connect, cope, and tell their stories.

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Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Chris Cluess has had a legendary career writing for SCTV Network, Cheers, Night Court, MADtv, and The Simpsons.

Chris shares stories about John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, National Lampoon, and what made the SCTV Network writers’ room so special with John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, and Joe Flaherty.

We also dive into MADtv, the SNL rivalry, and what it was like watching Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele rise before Key & Peele. A must-listen for fans of comedy history, SCTV, MADtv, SNL, and classic TV comedy.

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CH101 SELECT: We go inside Team Coco, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and Clueless Gamer with Will Becton.

Will shares his comedic journey from UCB and working on the documentary aka Tommy Chong, to becoming an original member of Team Coco, where he worked the entire run of CONAN on TBS and was the engineer of the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.

Will tells us what its like to be the Zelig of comedy — working alongside such legends as Conan, Andy Richter, Amy Pohler, and Will Ferrell - to operating Jett Road Studio...

The Marc Maron documentary “Are We Good?” follows the comedian/WTF podcast host as he processes grief while creating some of the most personal stand-up material of his career.

The film features insights from John Mulaney, David Cross, Nate Bargatze, W. Kamau Bell, and Laurie Kilmartin, exploring Maron’s rise from alt-comic to podcast pioneer.

Producer/writer Julie Seabaugh joins CH101 for a deep dive into Maron’s evolution as a comic, the rise of WTF, and how comedians turn personal pain into comedy material on stage.

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CH101 Reprise: The State was the MTV sketch show that launched the careers of Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Kevin Allison—and several more (the troupe had 11 members).

From dorm-room sketches at NYU to comedy milestones like Reno 911, Stella, Viva Variety, and the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer, The State helped redefine alternative comedy for a generation.

Director Matthew Perniciaro joins CH101 to talk about his new documentary Long Live The State and how this pioneering sketch group shaped the future of alt-comedy.

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I talk with Michael Bonfiglio, who, along with Judd Apatow, directed the new HBO documentary Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!.

Michael shares behind-the-scenes stories from Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Spaceballs, and we explore how Mel Brooks reshaped American comedy.

We also talk about Bonfiglio’s collaborations with Apatow, including co-directing George Carlin’s American Dream, and how Mel Brooks’ influence extends to comedy and filmmaking legends like Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, and even David Lynch.

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Stairway to Stardom was a NYC public access TV show, described in The Onion as "without exaggeration, it was one of the greatest shows ever to be on television."

Airing in the 70s through the early 90s, Stairway to Stardom was YouTube, before YouTube, and has fans ranging from Bjork to the Found Footage Festival.

Performers of very questionable talent, ranging from off-key lounge singers to interpretive dancers, attempted to stairway to stardom – and performed their hearts out – without fear of snark and comment trolls tearing them down.

Archivist Mitch Friedman joins CH101 to e...

Former Daily Show head writer Elliott Kalan (MST3K, The Flop House), Joke Farming) joins CH101 to discuss his new book, Joke Farming, and the nuts-and-bolts behind professional joke writing.

We go inside the Daily Show writers’ room with Jon Stewart, why MST3K once had too many jokes, how comedians write jokes on deadline, why inspiration is overrated, and how audiences complete every joke.

A behind-the-scenes look at joke writing, comedy craft, and how humor helps us make sense of the world.

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We pulled together the sharpest moments from our 2025 interviews with comedy impresario guests - who shaped modern comedy:

• Larry Charles: Writer and director of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, & Borat
• Kevin McDonald: Founding member of Kids in the Hall
• Ryan Cunningham: Producer of Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer
• Alex Braverman: Director of Thank You Very Much on Andy Kaufman
• Will Becton: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Team Coco, Clueless Gamer
• Paul Myers: Author of John Candy: A Life in Comedy

• Michael Seth Starr: Author of Rodney Dangerfield: Not...

Reprise Episode: Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer producer Ryan Cunningham and Gold Comedy founder Lynn Harris take us deep into the world of inclusive comedy and comedy as social change.

From behind-the-scenes Broad City stories (yes, that pegging episode) to how diverse voices are reshaping the comedy landscape, we explore why women being “gross” on screen was a cultural breakthrough—and how laughter can be a tool for empowerment, visibility, and social impact.

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CH101 Reprise: Larry Charles won an Emmy writing for Seinfeld, directed Borat, Brüno, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has collaborated with Larry David, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Bob Dylan .

Larry joins CH101 for some serious comedy inside baseball:

How he helped shape the voice of Seinfeld with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld

The chaos behind Borat's infamous poop-bag dinner scene

What it was really like making subversive comedy with Sacha Baron Cohen

Get the inside scoop on one of comedy's most fearless minds and check out Larry's new book: Co...

Before SantaCon became the most hated event in NYC history, it began as a San Francisco subversive experiment of fun by the same anarchic collective that spawned Burning Man and inspired Fight Club’s Project Mayhem.

We talk to filmmaker Seth Porges, who has a new documentary about SanCon on how a subversive performance-art happening turned into a worldwide holiday of drunken chaos that’s now belittled by the likes of John Oliver, Colin Jost, Jimmy Fallon and all of NYC.

You might know Seth’s previous HBO Max documentary, Class Action Park, about America’s most d...

CH101 Reprise: Kevin McDonald is best known as a founding member of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy troupe – Kids in the Hall –which appeared on CBS, HBO, and Comedy Central, and had a revival season aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2022.

Kevin joins CH!01 with tales of KITH, Winnipeg, & comedy in general.

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We go inside the PBS documentary series United States of Comedy with director Habib Yazdi. The five-part series spotlights diverse voices shaping stand-up comedy across America—capturing the next comedic generation redefining American comedy culture.

Habib shares stories from filming United States of Comedy, as we dive into creative resilience and what unites comedians across America.

WATCH: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/united-states-of-comedy/

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As you heard, they yanked Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air - because the Trump administration has declared a War on Comedy. Holy Overton window!

In this reprise episode, we celebrate Jimmy Kimmel Live, and talk to Adam Spiegelman, who was a comedy producer for this iconic late-night talk show.

Adam was at Jimmy Kimmel Live right from the start, and we do a deep dive into producing comedy and comedians for Kimmel, where he brought such comedians as Neil Hamburger, Eddie Pepitone, and Andy Dick to the airwaves.

Adam gives the lowdown...

The legendary Comedy Cellar - is the Yankee Stadium of NYC comedy clubs. Founded in 1982, the club has helped launch the careers of Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Amy Schumer, Ray Romano...(you get the idea).

In this reprise episode, we talk to comedian Dave Juskow, who is a Comedy Cellar regular and host of the Comedy Cellar Tuesday podcast, on the history of this beloved and iconic club.

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Before Hollywood, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, and Splash, John Candy was the heart of SCTV and Toronto’s Second City.

Paul Myers, author of John Candy: His Life in Comedy, shares Candy’s comedic rise alongside Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Aykroyd, and Joe Flaherty—and his iconic collaborations with John Hughes and Steve Martin.

Paul also reveals how his brother, Mike Myers, met Candy as a teen—and how Candy encouraged him to start his comedy journey at Second City. Candy’s influence didn’t stop at comedy: he even partnered with hockey legend...

Joel Thurm was the casting director for such iconic movies as Airplane, Grease, Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well being the head of NBC casting for a solid decade. He is also the author of the new book, Sex, Drugs, and Pilot Season.

We do a deep dive into casting in Hollywood, turning down Tom Cruise and Madonna, and insider stories on Taxi, David Hasselhoff, and what role Bob Hope played in getting Seinfeld on the air.

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We go inside Team Coco, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and Clueless Gamer with Will Becton.

Will shares his comedic journey from UCB and working on the documentary aka Tommy Chong, to becoming an original member of Team Coco, where he worked the entire run of CONAN on TBS and was the engineer of the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.

Will tells us what its like to be the Zelig of comedy — working alongside such legends as Conan, Andy Richter, Amy Pohler, and Will Ferrell - to operating Jett Road Studios

CH101 Reprise: We dive headfirst into the wonderfully weird world of comedian Andy Kaufman with director Alex Braverman, helmer of the new documentary Thank You Very Much.

The doc explores Kaufman’s legendary career of comedy as performance art, wrestling women, and the high art of confusing audiences. We talk Foreign Man, performance-as-prank, and what it’s like digging through Kaufman’s surreal legacy.

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Before there was Fallon, Kimmel, or Colbert — there was Johnny Carson, the undisputed King of Late Night.

We talk with Howard Smith, author of the book, My Friend Johnny, who was Carson's longtime Malibu neighbor, friend, and tennis partner.

Howard pulls back the curtain on Carson’s private world — from secret card games with Steve Martin, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, and Martin Short, to the personal joke-writing advice Johnny gave Jay Leno.

We also get tales of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Weintraub, and even a Carson monologue name-drop that sent Howard’s high sch...

Larry Charles won an Emmy writing for Seinfeld, directed Borat, Brüno, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has collaborated with Larry David, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Bob Dylan .

Larry joins CH101 for some serious comedy inside baseball:

How he helped shape the voice of Seinfeld with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld

The chaos behind Borat's infamous poop-bag dinner scene

What it was really like making subversive comedy with Sacha Baron Cohen

Get the inside scoop on one of comedy's most fearless minds and check out Larry's new book: Comedy S...

CH101 Select: Jim Vallely was a writer/producer on the iconic comedy show: Arrested Development – which earned him an Emmy.

Jim also worked on The Golden Girls, Two and a Half Men, The John Larroquette Show, and got his start on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - with his comedy duo: The Funny Boys.

We do a masterclass deep-dive with Jim on comedy writing, producing, and what it was like having Larry David as a neighbor.

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The State was the MTV sketch show that launched the careers of Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Kevin Allison—and several more (the troupe had 11 members).

From dorm-room sketches at NYU to comedy milestones like Reno 911, Stella, Viva Variety, and the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer, The State helped redefine alternative comedy for a generation.

Director Matthew Perniciaro joins CH101 to talk about his new documentary Long Live The State and how this pioneering sketch group shaped the future of alt-comedy.

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Mr. Bill is one of the most iconic characters in the history of Saturday Night Live.

This lovable, unlucky bundle of Play-Doh first appeared in the very first season of SNL as a viewer-submitted Super 8 film—and quickly rose to cult status. At the peak of his fame, Mr. Bill was ranked the third most beloved character on SNL, right behind John Belushi and Gilda Radner.

We talk to Walter Williams, the creator of Mr. Bill, who later became an SNL staff writer. Walter shares behind-the-scenes stories from the early days of SNL, what it wa...

The Nubian Show — created by comedian Kenny Robinson — changed Canadian comedy forever.
The Toronto showcase was the very first comedy show in Canada to feature comedians of color.

Kenny and his monthly showcase at Yuk Yuk’s are also the subject of the new documentary People of Comedy (now streaming on Crave).

The Nubian Show helped launch comedians Russell Peters and Kevin Hart, and has welcomed the likes of Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Jamie Foxx through its doors.

For over 30 years, The Nubian Show has given voice to comics of color, becomi...

Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer producer Ryan Cunningham and Gold Comedy founder Lynn Harris take us deep into the world of inclusive comedy and comedy as social change.

From behind-the-scenes Broad City stories (yes, that pegging episode) to how diverse voices are reshaping the comedy landscape, we explore why women being “gross” on screen was a cultural breakthrough—and how laughter can be a tool for empowerment, visibility, and social impact.

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CH101 Select: Just for Laughs is the largest comedy festival in the world. Based in Montreal, the festival has helped launch the careers of such comedians as Jerry Seinfeld, Mitch Hedberg, Jimmy Fallon, Ali Wong, Amy Schumer, etc...

Last year, the festival was canceled due to bankruptcy, but its back for 2025.

We talk to Darren Frost - a Canadian comedian who started performing at the festival in the mid-90s - on the history of Just for Laughs.

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