Comedy History 101

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 was like working with Lorne Michaels, the time Andy Kaufman got his Christmas special bumped, and how Mr. Bill evolved from a $10 homemade short into a fan-favorite SNL sketch series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, becoming a launchpad for global stars, a stage for fearless material, and a blueprint for what inclusive comedy can look like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We dive deep into the life and career of the comedian who gets “no respect,” Rodney Dangerfield. Author Michael Seth Starr joins Comedy History101 to talk about his new biography Nothin' Comes Easy, revealing how Dangerfield clawed his way back into comedy at age 45, the origins of his famous catchphrase, how he rewrote his persona, and finally got the respect he deserved. From aluminum siding to The Ed Sullivan Show to Caddyshack, we trace the underdog rise of one of comedy's most iconic voices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin McDonald is best known as a founding member of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy troupe – The 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, comedy in general, and his upcoming appearance at The Second City on April 11th & 12th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedy History 101 wraps up the year with our best interviews from 2024. Featuring episode excerpts from Arrested Development's Emmy-winning writer Jim Vallely, Paul Bellini from Kids in the Hall, Joel Thurm – casting director Airplane and Grease, plus histories of The Comedy Cellar, Yuk-Yuks, Moms Mabley with Rhonda Hansome, Sean Cullens, Susan Silver, Stan Zimmerman, directors Brent Hodge, Josh Forbes, Alan Bernstein, and more… Also, our friend Jean-François Brisson gives a recap of all our Canadian comedy episodes from the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select: Chris Farley was one of the most dynamic and beloved comedians to ever grace the stage at both Second City and Saturday Night Live. And I talk to Brent Hodge, director of the documentary, I Am Chris Farley. We do a deep dive into the life and times of this amazing comedian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We talk to Josh Forbes, director of the new documentary on Gallagher, the comedian known for his signature bit, the Sledge-O-Matic, and his watermelon-smashing antics. Gallagher was one of the biggest comedians of the 80s and 90s and then drifted off to obscurity. You might remember Gallaher from his infamous WTF episode with Marc Maron - or feuds with his brother: Gallagher Too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select: Kliph Nesteroff is one of the leading comedy historians and the author of the new book: Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars. And we talk about his book, censorship in comedy, how every generation declares that "comedy is over" - and how the old guard often refuses to accept culture shifts in the comedy biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A teenage hustler makes his living selling counterfeit tickets at Grateful Dead shows, hawking his fakes on every Shakedown Street around the country. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between Steven Marcus - the head of Grateful Dead ticketing and this teenage counterfeiter, which comes to a head at a Madison Square Garden Dead show. But as the heat turns up - an unexpected tragedy puts an end to the game for both of them. CH101's first audio documentary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trailer For Our Upcoming Audio Documentary: The Grateful Dead Counterfeiter A teenage hustler makes his living selling counterfeit tickets at Grateful Dead shows. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between the head of Grateful Dead ticketing and this teenage counterfeiter. But as the heat turns up - an unexpected tragedy puts an end to the game for both of them. Dropping this week on iTunes & comedyhistory101.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Susan Silver is a trailblazer in the world of sitcom writing. She began her career on The Mary Tyler Moore Show—during an era when comedy writing was overwhelmingly dominated by men. Starting as a casting director on the iconic show Laugh-In, she went on to write for The Bob Newhart Show, Maude, The Partridge Family, and Square Pegs. Like a showbiz Zelig, Susan's path has crossed with icons such as Elvis, Jim Morrison, Lenny Bruce, and Clint Eastwood. Susan is also the author of Hot Pants in Hollywood, and we deep dive into her comedy history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joey Camen is a Comedy Store OG. He first started performing at the iconic club in Los Angeles in 1974, alongside such up-and-coming comedians as David Letterman, Sam Kinison, Jay Leno, Jim Carrey – and the legendary Richard Pryor. Joey has appeared on WTF and is also a renowned voice actor who got his start as one of The Smurfs. We dive into his voice work, Comedy Store history, and his Nov 9th solo show at United Solo in NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paul Bellini is noted as being the unofficial 6th Kids in the Hall, alongside Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Paul was one of the key writers for the Kids in the Hall's TV series and is also known onscreen as 'the guy in the towel.' Paul was there from the very start, at the legendary sketch group's early Toronto shows, and he gives us a deep dive into his history of Kids in the Hall, his collaboration with Scott Thompson, and the healing power of dark, twisted comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stan Zimmerman was a writer for The Golden Girls, Roseanne, Gilmore Girls, and the feature film, A Very Brady Sequel. He is also the author of the new book: The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore. We do a deep-dive on TV comedy writing, pitching, and what it was like working on the Russian version of Roseanne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moms Mabley bridged the gap between vaudeville and modern standup comedy. She was the first successful female standup comedian who had a career that spanned over 50 years. Our guest Rhonda Hansome, who has appeared on SNL, The Arsenio Hall Show, and has performed with Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, recently portrayed Moms on stage, and we do a deep dive into the history of this iconic comedian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select: The Kids in the Hall are one of the most iconic sketch comedy groups in history. We do a deep dive into their origin story with Paul Myers - who knew KITH in their early days. Paul is the author of The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy, the executive producer of the documentary The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks, as well as the brother to Mike Myers - and he gives insights into what it was like to see the group emerge onto the Toronto comedy scene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAD Magazine poked fun at everything - and changed the comedy world. And we talk to Alan Bernstein, director of the documentary When We Went MAD. Modern satire, from The Simpsons to The Daily Show was influenced by MAD. Alan's documentary celebrates the nutty geniuses behind MAD, and features interviews from such fans as Bryan Cranston, Gilbert Gottfried, Judd Apatow, and Quentin Tarantino. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select: The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the biggest performance festival in the world. It takes place during August and has launched the comedy careers of Monty Python, Eddie Izzard, Fleabag - and just about every major comedy figure in the UK. It's where comedians go to get their Beatles' 10,000 hours of Hamburg performing skills. The Edinburgh Festival is both amazing and soul-crushing at times. And on this CH101 Short, Irish comedian Johnny Candon and I highlight the grueling grind of the festival - that makes you a better performer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Cullen is a Canadian comedian, actor, and author - who you might know from his numerous TV appearances on The Tonight Show, MadTV, The Ellen Show, and with his legendary musical comedy group, Corky and the Juice Pigs. We do a deep dive into comedy Sean's history, the Canadian comedy scene, and how he had to turn down Lorne Micheals when offered a spot on SNL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Spiegelman was a comedy producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live. He was there right from the start - and he's our guest today. Adam gives us a deep dive into producing comedy and and comedians for this iconic late-night talk show, where he brought such comedians as Neil Hamburger, Eddie Pepitone, and Andy Dick to the airwaves. Adam gives the lowdown of what he looked for when booking standup comedians for the Kimmel show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Dion is the world's most prolific comedian portrait photographer. He has photographed such icons as Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Maria Bamford, Zack Galifianakis… His work has been exhibited at the Gotham Comedy Club, Montreal's Just for Laughs, and the Edinburgh Festival – and we are pleased to have him as our guest today on Comedy History 101. Dan dives deep into his process of photographing the most iconic comedians on the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yuk Yuk's is the cornerstone of Canadian standup comedy. The Toronto club was founded in 1976 and is helped launch the careers of such iconic Canadian comedians as Jim Carrey, Howie Mandel, Russell Peters, and Norm Macdonald. And we talk to comedian Evan Carter - who was there at the very beginning on the history of this legendary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dangerfield's was a NYC comedy club – named after part-owner Rodney Dangerfield. It opened in 1969 (and closed in 2020) and was plain CREEPY. Dangerfield's can be seen in the movie, The Joker and the legendary Young Comedian's special that launched Sam Kinison, Andrew Dice Clay, and Louie Anderson. And we talk to comedian Dave Juskow about the history of this creepy comedy club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select; Michael Small was a staff member of The Harvard Lampoon. He is our guest today - on his history at one of the oldest and most prestigious humor magazines in the world. The alumni of The Harvard Lampoon include such icons in comedy as Conan O'Brien, Greg Daniels, Jim Downey, Colin Jost, BJ Novak - and numerous writers for SNL, The Simpsons, Letterman, Curb Your Enthusiasm - as well as almost every known comedy entity in TV and movies. Be sure to check out Michael's podcast: I Couldn't Throw It Out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select: In 2006, a producer thought it would be a good idea for double-acquitted murderer OJ Simpson's comeback project to be a zany hidden camera prank show called Juice'd. As in, a prank is pulled, OJ Simpson pops out, and goes, "You've been Juiced," at which point the person pranked goes, "HEY, AREN'T YOU THAT GUY WHO MURDERED THOSE PEOPLE?!  And I, Harmon Leon, was hired off an ad on Craigslist to be OJ's funny little sidekick..I pulled hidden camera pranks alongside OJ Simpson. What followed was the worst trainwreck in reality television history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Farley was one of the most dynamic and beloved comedians to ever grace the stage at both Second City and Saturday Night Live. And I talk to Brent Hodge, director of the documentary, I Am Chris Farley. We do a deep dive into the life and times of this legendary comedian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jewish comedians, such as Lenny Bruce, Joan Rivers, Gilbert Gottfried, have always broke norms and challenged taboos of American culture.  We talk to Eddy Portney of YIVO Institute for Jewish Research - historian and curator of the course: Is Anything Okay? The History of Jews and Comedy in America. We dive into the roots of Jewish humor from the Borscht Belt to modern times. More at Yivo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just for Laughs is (was) 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... And it was announced last week that this year's festival has been canceled - due to bankruptcy. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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). And 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 club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CH101 Select: Mr. Bill is one of the most iconic characters in the history of Saturday Night Live. Mr. Bill got his start in the first season of SNL - as a viewer-submitted Super 8 film. In his heyday, this bundle of Play-Do was the third most beloved character on SNL - right behind John Belushi and Gilda Radner. And we talk to Walter Williams - the creator of Mr. Bill - who also became a staff writer at SNL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We wrap up the year with a sampling of the best of 2023 Comedy History 101 interviews. Featuring episode excerpts on Kids in the Hall, Mr. Bill, Comedy Culture Wars, Shemp Howard, Found Footage Festival, the Dublin Comedy Scenes, Michael Richards Infamous Meldown, Last Comic Standing, The Harvard Lampoon, Revenge of the Nerds, and more.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bruce Cherry is a comedian who wrote jokes and comedy material for George W. Bush and a host of other politicians. And we do a deep dive into the writing process on creating humor for the Commander-in-Chief. I originally interviewed Bruce for a story I did in Vice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the world of The Three Stooges, Shemp Howard deserves more love. Shemp was the original Stooge who appeared in 76 Stooge shorts. He also virtually saved The Three Stooges, was noted as the Ugliest Man in Hollywood, and is responsible for the phenomenon of 'The Fake Shemps.' And we talk to Geoff Dale, the only man in history to have written a biography of Shemp Howard, aptly titled: Much More Than a Stooge: Shemp Howard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kliph Nesteroff is one of the leading comedy historians and the author of the new book: Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars. And we talk about his book, censorship in comedy, how every generations declares that "comedy is over" - and how the old guard often refuses to accept culture shifts in the comedy biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Katz is a former joke writer for President Bill Clinton. He shares stories about writing humor in the White House, writing presidential jokes during a time of impeachment - and his take on which presidents are natural comedians. (Spoiler: Trump does not fit the mold.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A CH101 Select: The iconic TV show Last Comic Standing - ran from 2003 to 2015. It was a reality show, where comedians competed to be, well, the last comic standing. The show helped launch the careers of such comedians as Amy Schumer, Gary Gulman, Nicky Glaser - and our guest today: Rob Cantrell. Rob was a finalist on Season One of Last Comic Standing - where he lived in a house in the Hollywood Hills with such comedians as Ralphie May, Rich Vos, and Cory Kahaney. Rob tells what it was like to go from obscurity to being on an NBC prime time TV show - as well as tales of the San Francisco comedy scene in the 2000s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Jerry Springer Show has the notoriety of being the trashiest of all the trashy daytime talk shows. In 1995, a group of Canadian comedians pranked the Springer Show - and appeared on a segment entitled: My Husband Slept with the Babysitter. The prank made international news - and inspired many other Jerry Springer infiltrators followed over the years - including yours truly. Our guest today is Canadian comedian, Ian Sirota - who was part of the comedy team that infiltrated the Springer Show - and we share insights on the sleaze that went on behind the scenes. Here's a link to the story on my Jerry Springer in Vice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Irate encounters with Bill Murray. Cary Grant at The Friar's Club. Margarita lunches at The Russian Tea Room. This was all part of being a celebrity journalist at People Magazine in the 1980s - for our guest Michael Small. And check out Michael's podcast: I Couldn't Throw It Out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Small was a staff member of The Harvard Lampoon. He is our guest today - on his history at one of the oldest and most prestigious humor magazines in the world. The alumni of The Harvard Lampoon include such icons in comedy as Conan O'Brien, Greg Daniels, Jim Downey, Colin Jost, BJ Novak - and numerous writers for SNL, The Simpsons, Letterman, Curb Your Enthusiasm - as well as almost every known comedy entity in TV and movies. Be sure to check out Michael's podcast: I Couldn't Throw It Out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I interview the directors behind the new documentary, Satan Wants You - which tells the story how the Satanic Panic of the 1980s was ignited by the book, Michelle Remembers. Find out how the book was used by law enforcement to convict innocent people - and was later determined to be a complete hoax. The episode I produced for 99 Percent Invisible, mentioned in our show, can be found at: 99percentinvisible.org/episode/devil-in-the-details Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I talk to Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher curators of the Found Footage Festival - on their love of found videos, infiltrating TV shows, sabotaging America's Got Talent, and their new documentary, Chop & Steele. Learn how posing as a strongman duo landed Joe and Nick in a major lawsuit and what was the reaction when they peed in their pants in front of Howie Mandal, Simon Cowell, and Scary Spice on NBC TV. More at: foundfootagefest.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More Grateful Dead stories? We talk to Frankie Accardi-Peri who co-managed Grateful Dead ticket sales from 1984- 1995- and she has some Dead insider stories to tell. This is a companion episode to my interview with Steven Marcus who was the Dead's ticketing head honcho. My interview with Frankie was part of research for a fiction script I wrote for the podcast Paperless - and my episode entitled: Blinkers. Check it out: https://shows.acast.com/paperless/episodes/blinkers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe Raiola was a writer and editor of Mad magazine for 33 years. And he has some stories to tell on how Mad shaped comedy in America - and whose voice resonates through such entities as The Onion, The Daily Show, The Simpsons - and beyond. Take time to 'like,' subscribe, and comment on ComedyHistory 101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the biggest performance festival in world. It takes place during the month of August and has launched the comedy careers of Monty Python, Eddie Izzard, Fleabag - and just about every major comedy figure in the UK. Its where comedians go to get their Beatles 10,000 hours of Hamburg performing skills. The Edinburgh Festival is both amazing and soul-crushing at times. And on this CH101 Short, Irish comedian Johnny Candon and I highlight the grueling grind of the festival - that makes you a better performer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Revenge of the Nerds is one of the classic comedies of the 1980s. And we talk to Andrew Cassese who played child-genius: Wormser in the movie. Revenge of the Nerds featured early roles from such actors as John Goodman, James Cromwell, Anthony Edwards - and Andrew tells us some behind the scenes antics of what it was like to be an onscreen members of the Lamda Lamda Lamda fraternity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices