The Tao of Comedy

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Following the sudden death of her beloved brother, host Kelly MacLean asks fellow comedians to aid her in an existential search for the of meaning of life. Hilarious and poignant, The Tao of Comedy exposes comedians as the sages they secretly are.

Kelly MacLean


    • Jan 26, 2018 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 11m AVG DURATION
    • 59 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Tao of Comedy

    Thom Tran

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2018 73:55


    Comedian, actor (Not Another Not Another Movie), founder of GI's of comedy tour who received the purple heart for his service in Iraq discusses how comedy saved his life after battle, laughing in the face of death and his new podcast Battlescars.

    Edi Patterson

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2017 59:26


    Edi Patterson (HBO's Vice Principals, Blackish, Curb Your Enthusiasm) on why improv as a way of life: Let go. Lean in. Listen. And be stupid silly for no good reason. 

    Christina P.

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2017 77:28


    Christina P. (Netflix Presents Mother Inferior, Chelsea Lately) tells us all about getting paid to be yourself, balancing motherhood and career, being a woman in comedy, getting woke, and her recent enlightenment involving a rat. 

    Josh Johnson

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2017 110:43


    Josh Johnson (Conan, Tonight Show, Hart of the City) argues life IS fair. He also talks dirty in this episode about sex, relationship, white privilege, and "starfishing".

    Michelle McGregor & Nick Liberatore

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2017 102:40


    Comedy Central's 'The Comedy Jam' drummer Nick Liberatore on playing drums while the best comedians of our time sing their favorite songs; and Michelle (Iron Lung, Yale Repertoire) on life as a singer, actor and stand up. Together we discuss the connections, similarities, and differences between music, comedy and the sacred burden of following your dreams. 

    Mike Carrozza

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2017 44:58


    Mike Carrozza, named one of the top 10 comics in Montreal, debates Kelly about whether or not true altruism exists, discusses why he likes to sit around and think about death and implores you to be a better audience member.

    Wheeler Walker Jr.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2017 83:03


    Wheeler Walker Jr.'s music tops both comedy and country music charts because they're as funny as they are catchy. He and Kelly talk about the difference between racist and political views (hint: they're not the same at all) and how Ol' Wheeler built a country music empire on not giving a f#$*

    DeAnne Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2017 46:49


    DeAnne Smith (HBO’s Funny As Hell) and Kelly try to figure out if the universe is really speaking to them or if they’re just ego-maniacs and then tell you why it sucks to lose a loved one in the digital age.

    Jim Carrey - Mini-Cast

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2017 1:09


    Just before accepting the Generation award at Montreal Just For Laughs comedy festival Jim gave us a quickie.

    Trevor Noah - Mini-Cast

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2017 1:03


    Sixty seconds with The Daily Show host on the red carpet at Montreal Just For Laughs.

    Erica Rhodes

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2017 69:19


    Erica Rhodes (Prairie Home Companion, @midnight, Modern Family, New Girl) on astrology, destiny, magic and Garrison Keillor's social skills.

    Hari Kondabolu

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2017 53:18


    New York Times acclaimed political comic Hari Kondabolu (Conan, Fresh Air, Comedy Central Presents) on comedy as "sword and shield", the pitfalls of political humor, and his ride on the pendulum between God and Atheism.

    Michael Donovan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2017 73:52


    Michael Donovan's photography is considered some of the most cutting edge, dark, provocative and unique in the fashion world--little do his fans know he started out as a stand up comic with a character named 'Cool Mike' who basically said the meanest things possible ever. And may have caused world war. This podcast is too weird to explain so just listen.

    JP Sears

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2017 83:00


    YouTube giant JP Sears (How to Be Ultra Spiritual, How to Become Gluten Intolerant) on his journey from spiritual life coach to spiritual satirist and gifts us our favorite new philosophy: Offend your mind.

    Jeremiah Watkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2017 65:40


    The road to Hell may be paved with good intentions, but Jeremiah Watkins (Comedy Central Roast Battle, The Comedy Jam) says the road to success is, too. Our favorite Kansan comic shares his life philosophy that you should probably go live by.

    Myq Kaplan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2017 53:54


    Myq Kaplan (Conan//Letterman//Last Comic Standing) takes on the afterlife, manifesting vs. hard work and why he refuses to make a 5 year plan.

    India Dupré

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2017 53:56


    Writer, director and producer of the short film Stripped, winner of the clawed-after Kevin Spacey Foundation Grant, on her family's unbelievable true story which inspired the film, the fortune of failure and how to follow signs from the universe.

    Romesh Ranganathan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2017 74:45


    Romesh Ranganathan (Royal Performance Variety, BBC's Asian Provocateur) on his hindu roots, keeping his vegan pride in check, and his quest to break even with the universe.

    Tony Hinchcliffe

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2017 72:14


    Verbal assassin Tony Hinchcliffe of Comedy Central Roasts and the Joe Rogan Experience on insult comedy as self-defense, growing up in the Mafia, and how his palm is actually psychic.

    Dylan Brody

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2017 71:23


    One of America's top humorist and story tellers discusses the "crushing urgency of mortality", the difference between a good joke and a funny joke, the future of capitalism, why stories matter the most, and basically solves all the world's problems in this one hour.

    Josh Blue

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2017 53:17


    Josh Blue, renowned stand up, disability activist, Paralympic athlete and winner of 'Last Comic Standing' on growing up a white boy in Africa, on the church of nature, and that time he elected to be publicly caged in a Senegalese zoo for 8 hours.

    Yakov Smirinoff

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2017 54:35


    Legendary stand up-turned-philosopher Yakov Smirinoff talks about his historically significant relationship with President Ronald Reagan, the role humor can play in politics, and his respect for laughter as a vital barometer for happiness in life and relationships.

    Patrick Bristow

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2017 73:04


    Patrick Bristow has remained one the top character actors since the 90s (Ellen, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, Austin Powers, Showgirls, Transformers) the former Groundling now has his own school The Improvatorium and tours with the adults only muppet show, Puppet Up. Patrick and Kelly discuss improv doctrine as a way of life and his, Patrick's philosophy of 'letting the mystery be', and their mutual experience of loving someone who struggles with addiction.

    Mark Lonow

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2017 71:58


    Mark Lonow, co-owner of The Improv comedy clubs and actor (The Wedding Singer, City Hall, National Security) reflects on what he's learned from decades of watching and working with the best comedians in history and his chosen religion, sarcasm.

    Chris Martin

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2017 79:24


    Kelly and UK comedian Chris Martin (Comedy Central’s 'Live at the Comedy Store', The Carl Donnelly and Chris Martin Podcast) talk Brits vs. Americans, devout atheists as religious extremists, their shared need to make strangers think they’re the nicest and an affinity for ‘cunt’.

    Jeff Miller

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2017 65:21


    Kelly and Jeff Miller (Host of Travel Channel's Trip Testers, Founding Editor, Thrillist LA) explore foodgasms and why food can probably elevate you to enlightenment. If not, it will at least be a whole lot of fun trying to get there--just about as much fun as an hour with Jeff Miller.

    Jamie Elman

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2017 83:02


    Comedian, actor and canook, Jamie Elman (Yid Life Crisis, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Kelly talk about Judaism, what's happening with Yiddish these days, and how to balance religious ideals with modern day practicalities.

    Jackie Kashian

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2017 92:42


    Comedian and nerd-in-chief Jackie Kashian (Host "The Dork Forest Podcast", "This Would Make an Excellent Horcrux" hour special) discusses her roots in the Armenian church, performing comedy in Iraq and the spiritual path of nerdom.

    The Death Doula

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2017 48:12


    LA’s death doula on pre-death funerals, the reclamation of mortality movement, why our society sets terminally ill patients up to feel like failures, and a clit joke. www.deathdoulala.com

    Big Questions' Compilation Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2017 69:15


    A collection of answers to Kelly's signature ending questions from comedians Greg Fitzsimmons, Ben Roy, Andy Kindler, Joe DeRosa and Kelly herself.

    'Big Questions' Compilation Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2017 78:40


    A collection of answers to Kelly's signature ending questions from Duncan Trussell, Barry Katz, Bert Kreischer, Madeleine Smithberg, Ben Gleib and Pete Holmes.

    Renee Gauthier

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2016 92:08


    Kelly and Renee Gauthier (Last Comic Standing, Dead Dad’s Club Podcast) geek out about Akashic Records, astrology, tarot, manifesting, reality and other millennial white girl cure-alls.

    Matteson Perry

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2016 58:56


    Matteson Perry, master storyteller of “The Moth Radio Hour”, and author of “Available: A Memoir of Heartbreak, Hookups, Love and Brunch” tells you why storytelling is the key to your soul.

    Greg Fitzsimmons

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2016 81:45


    Greg Fitzsimmons and Kelly talk about being a modern day cynical catholic, ouija boards and working with depression through meditation.

    Pete Holmes

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2016 128:53


    Comedian and star of the new HBO series "Crashing" discusses how the young Christian missionary became a stand up comic with strong Hindu leanings and reveals the meaning of life: life itself.

    Jimmy Tingle

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2016 78:12


    Top political comedian and activist Jimmy Tingle (HBO, 60 Minutes II) puts the impending election in perspective in a miraculously non-depressing fashion.

    jimmy tingle minutes ii
    Ben Roy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2016 94:21


    Ben Roy (comedian, star and co-creator of truTV's Those Who Can’t) on how science is religion backwards, chaos as life, and how to make a marriage work.

    Craig Wallace

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2016 72:24


    Audition Sensei Craig Wallace talks about ego, letting the f*@% go of people's expectations and being yourself.

    Chuck Roy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2016 83:57


    Chuck roy talks about the slave trade of stand ups….no seriously. Plus he and Kelly reminisce over that time he swiped a hot frat boy from her.

    Synchronicity Swapcast!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2016 84:34


    The tables turn as Synchronicity Podcast host Noah Lampert interviews Kelly and asks her the big questions for a change. Can she handle the very pressure she places on her ToC guests?

    Michael Kosta

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2016 68:19


    Michael Kosta (Tonight Show, Comedy For Attractive People) discusses the pitfalls of organized religion, his worst birthday ever and why Bert Kreischer is wrong about destiny.

    Andy Kindler

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2016 95:09


    Comedian Andy Kindler (Maron, Just For Laughs, The Daily Show) discusses synchronicity, comedy as a path of awakening and his disdain for Atheism.

    Ashoka Mukpo

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2016 92:24


    Journalist and Ebola Survivor Ashoka Mukpo discusses sacredness in life and twitter and his step-father, Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.​

    Ben Gleib

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2016 108:50


    Comedian Ben Gleib on technology as humanity’s savior and taking back the world through positive ego. Oh, and pussy fights.

    Carlie & Doni

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2016 96:20


    Carlie & Doni on working as a comedy duo, human nature and how boobs are magic.

    Greg Behrendt and Travis Clark

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2016 62:25


    Comedian, musician and author of 'He's Just Not That Into You', Greg Behrendt, talks relationships and his star-crossed bromance with 'King Sweater' bandmate, comedian Travis Clark.​

    Brad Williams

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2016 76:19


    Comedian Brad Williams discusses life as a little person, a comic's first amendment rights and success as the best revenge.

    Dana Gould - Mini-Cast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2016 2:57


    Kelly catches up with Simpsons writer/producer Dana Gould on the red carpet at Montreal Just For Laughs festival.

    Joe DeRosa

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2016 84:34


    Comedian Joe DeRosa discusses the life of a bachelor comic, life after death and survival of the craziest.

    Bary Katz: The Sequel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2016 73:20


    Legendary Comedy manager/producer Barry Katz on relationships, intimacy and why he prefers podcasting to sex.

    Cheryl Bayer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2016 89:23


    Former Senior VP of Comedy at Fox Cheryl Bayer on finding humor in every moment, and that time she died for four minutes.​

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