In the weeks between President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance and his decision to step aside, no one in political media was making the case against his candidacy louder than the former Obama staffers and co-hosts of Pod Save America. In his third appearance on The Last Laugh, Crooked Media co-founder Jon Lovett returns to talk about his unexpectedly prominent role in the Democratic Party’s existential crisis and how he’s feeling now that Vice President Kamala Harris has emerged as the presumptive nominee who will take on Donald Trump in the fall. We also discuss how the political comedy world handled Biden’s decline and Trump’s assassination attempt, how he navigates writing jokes for his own podcast Lovett or Leave It, and how on earth he ended up as a contestant on the upcoming season of ‘Survivor.’Buy Crooked Media’s new book ‘Democracy or Else: How to Save America in 10 Easy Steps’Follow Jon Lovett on Twitter @jonlovett and Instagram @jonlovettFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an age of comedy that aims to shock, Reggie Watts is arguably the most unpredictable comedian working today. That’s not to say he’s particularly controversial. And in fact, he decided to “set” his latest stand-up special ‘Never Mind’ in the mid-’90s precisely so he wouldn’t feel any pressure to talk about what is happening in America right now. In this 250th episode of The Last Laugh, Watts breaks down how he uses his completely improvised comedic approach to “disorient” audiences and even make them question their reality. He also reveals the real reason he gave up his gig as one-man band leader on the ‘Comedy Bang! Bang!’ TV show (hint: It wasn’t because James Corden hired him away) and why he was so “stoked” when ‘The Late Late Show’ ended after a longer-than-expected eight-year run. Follow Reggie Watts on Instagram @reggiewattsFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Quaid has taken great pains to carve out a unique path for himself in Hollywood. Determined not to follow too closely in the footsteps of his very famous parents (Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan), the 32-year-old actor has fully embraced “genre” storytelling, from his very first blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role in the first ‘Hunger Games’ film to his break-out performance as the endlessly relatable Hughie Campbell in Amazon Prime Video’s wildly popular comic book adaptation ‘The Boys,’ currently streaming its fourth season. In this episode, Quaid breaks down his character’s evolution, shares his view on the show’s satirical politics and teases just how “insane” the fifth and final season could get. He also shares stories from working with Christopher Nolan on ‘Oppenheimer’ and openly admits that he is definitely a “nepo baby” no matter what his mother, the “undisputed queen of rom-coms” has to say about it. Follow Jack Quaid on Twitter @JackQuaid92 and Instagram @jack_quaidFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first time Jordan Klepper and Roy Wood Jr. worked together was for a 2015 ‘Daily Show’ field piece that asked the question, “Are all cops racist?” In 2024, they joined forces once again for a series of “comedic town halls” across the country. In this episode, Klepper and Wood return to the podcast (for their fourth and third appearances, respectively) to share their thoughts about the inevitable Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump rematch nobody seems to want. The pair of ‘Daily Show’ correspondents also speak openly about that show’s very public search for a host to replace Trevor Noah, including why Wood decided to step down when it seemed like it wasn’t going to be him, whether Klepper is still gunning for the big seat and what they both thought about everything that went down with their old colleague Hasan Minhaj. This episode was originally published on January 3rd, 2024.Follow Jordan Klepper on Twitter @jordanklepper and Instagram @jordanklepperFollow Roy Wood Jr. on Twitter @roywoodjr and Instagram @roywoodjrFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mo Welch spent years trying to make jokes about the father who abused her mother and abandoned her family funny without totally bumming out her audience. Now, she has perfected the art of the extremely dark “dad joke” in her new stand-up special-slash-documentary ‘Dad Jokes.’ In this episode, Welch talks about how terrifying it was to come face-to-face with her father for the first time in 20 years after he went to prison for stealing TVs and how she managed to thread the needle of turning that trauma into comedy on stage. She also reveals what she has learned about comedy from collaborators (and previous Last Laugh guests) Anthony Jeselnik and Beth Stelling and tells the story of how she dropped her microphone in a toilet seconds before her late-night stand-up debut on ‘Conan.’But first, Allegra Frank joins Matt for her final appearance on the podcast to wrap up their discussion about the big comedy categories at this year’s Emmy Awards, including what to expect from ‘The Bear,’ ‘Hacks,’ ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and more. Stream Mo Welch’s ‘Dad Jokes’ on YouTubeFollow Mo Welch on Instagram @momowelchFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow Allegra Frank on Twitter @LegsFrankFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a mainstay at New York’s prestigious Comedy Cellar for many years, Keith Robinson has long been the definition of a comedian’s comedian. But it wasn’t until he suffered two debilitating strokes over the course of four years that he finally landed his first hour-long special on Netflix. In this episode, Robinson talks about how managed to get back on stage so quickly after his first stroke (against medical advice) and how he was able to find so many cathartic laughs in what has otherwise been a truly terrifying experience. He also discusses how he felt about the standing ovation that opens his special ‘Different Strokes’—especially with so many comedian friends in the room—and looks back at the chaotic early days of his career, including stories about working with Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer, Chris Rock and more.Follow Keith Robinson on Twitter @1keithrobinson and Instagram @keithrobinson438Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been nearly a year since John Early released his first stand-up special, Max’s ‘Now More Than Ever.’ But it’s only now that he’s gotten the chance to talk about the go-for-broke special in-depth, with any chance at promotion waylaid by last summer and fall’s back-to-back strikes. And the comedian, best known for his work on ‘Search Party,’ ‘30 Rock,’ and with collaborator Kate Berlant, is relishing his overdue moment in the spotlight. In this episode of The Last Laugh podcast—Early’s second appearance on the show, following his 2022 visit with Berlant—he opens up about the genesis of his Emmys category-breaking special, including how he sees himself as less in step with his fellow campaigning comics and more in the mold of performers like Bette Midler.Plus, Matt and Allegra take a look at John Early’s Emmy competition in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded) category and share their thoughts on who else deserves some love over the same old contenders.Follow John Early on Twitter @bejohnce and Instagram @bejohnceFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow Allegra Frank on Twitter @LegsFrankFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been more than three decades since Wanda Sykes first stepped onto the stand-up stage. And sometimes, it feels like she’s just now getting her due. This past year, the legendary comedian received her first-ever Grammy nomination for her latest Netflix special ‘I’m an Entertainer,’ which also landed nods at the Emmys and Golden Globes. The hard-hitting hour takes on many of the most divisive topics of the year without pandering to either side or ever punching down. “It’s just noise. And I like to try to cut through that,” she says of the way her comedy reacts to the broader political conversation. In this episode, Sykes takes on everything from the problem with Dave Chappelle’s anti-trans jokes to why she was shocked Will Smith didn’t get dragged out of the Oscars for slapping her friend Chris Rock to what Joe Biden has to do to win back Black men in 2024 to how she thinks about her place in the comedy pantheon and a lot more. This episode was originally published on December 20th, 2023.Follow Wanda Sykes on Twitter @iamwandasykes and Instagram @iamwandasykesFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since first getting what she thought was her big break on ‘Last Comic Standing’ almost 15 years ago, comedian Rachel Feinstein has been waiting for something to come along and help her achieve the next level of success. “By the time this comes, I’m going to be a star,” Feinstein says. “Hopefully after this interview, I’ll at least get a Clorox commercial or something.” In this episode, recorded just after she taped her latest ‘Tonight Show’ appearance and right before her debut Netflix special ‘Big Guy’ premiered, Feinstein reveals that she may never have gotten this breakthrough moment in her career had she not done the one thing that “scared” her the most: getting married to the New York firefighter husband she spends much of her special mocking and then having a daughter. She also shares stories about mentoring Lil Jon in stand-up comedy on Donald Trump’s ‘The Apprentice,’ roasting Gilbert Gottfried’s Hitler as Anne Frank on Netflix’s ‘Historical Roasts,’ and more. Plus, Matt and Allegra break down what makes ‘Hacks’ the only funny comedy series on TV right now—and why Shane Gillis’ ‘Tires’ on Netflix is the exact opposite.Follow Rachel Feinstein on Twitter @RachelFeinstein and Instagram @rachelfeinstein_Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With his delightfully silly roles on shows like ‘The League,’ ‘Veep,’ ‘The Good Place’ and many others, comedian Paul Scheer has always projected a sense of unencumbered fun. That’s partly why, as he explains in both his new memoir ‘Joyful Recollections of Trauma’ and on this episode, he was so hesitant to reveal the very real pain that dominated much of his childhood. Scheer talks about how comedy helped rescue him from the violently abusive household in which he was raised and has continued to be an essential part of his life as he raises children of his own. He also tells some unbelievable stories about his bizarre run-ins with celebrities like Christopher Walken and Bill Cosby, describes the unique experience of improvising opposite Larry David on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and explains how he was able to emotionally move past a whopping four unsuccessful auditions for ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Buy ‘Joyful Recollections of Trauma’ by Paul Scheer on AmazonFollow Paul Scheer on Twitter @paulscheer and Instagram @paulscheerFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live from Netflix Is a Joke Fest in Los Angeles this past week, comedian Mae Martin returns to the podcast to share stories about making out with ‘Ted Lasso’s’ Brett Goldstein on stage, making Jon Stewart laugh on ‘John Mulaney Presents: ‘Everybody’s in LA’ and the exhilarating feeling when a new stand-up bit that kills for the first time. Martin also looks back on the surreal experience of watching their autobiographical show ‘Feel Good’ take off on Netflix at the very start of the pandemic and teases their new narrative series for which they are strongly considering becoming a brunette. And make sure to stick around until the end of the show to hear a very special acoustic performance by Claud. Plus, ‘John Mulaney Presents: ‘Everybody’s in LA’ wildly exceeded our expectations, leading Matt and Allegra to wonder whether we deserve more or should just be happy with the perfect six episodes that streamed during the festival.Follow Mae Martin on Instagram @hooraymaeFollow Claud on Instagram @claud.mp3Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The last time Nikki Glaser was on The Last Laugh podcast, our conversation ended up producing material for her stand-up act. Now, in her return to the show, she apologizes for throwing me “under the bus” before sharing even more unfiltered thoughts about her objections to motherhood, struggles with suicidal thoughts and the very tricky balance between self-censorship and saying something she knows could get her “canceled”—all of which are integral to her latest HBO special ‘Someday You’ll Die.’ The comedian also reveals her approach to roasting Tom Brady at Netflix’s epic live event, explains why she decided to leave it all on the table with her jokes about Ted Cruz, Majorie Taylor Greene and other political figures while guest-hosting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and shares how she’s feeling about turning 40 next month. Come to a live taping of The Last Laugh podcast with special guest Mae Martin at Netflix Is a Joke Fest on May 8.Follow Nikki Glaser on Instagram @nikkiglaserFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The massive, sprawling Netflix Is a Joke Festival kicks off in Los Angeles today and host Matt Wilstein is joined by The Daily Beast’s Allegra Frank and Sean L. McCarthy to preview what comedy fans can expect—including a starry roast of Tom Brady, a live Katt Williams stand-up special, a John Mulaney-hosted late-night show and a lot more. They also delve into how Netflix came to dominate the streaming comedy world—for better and, occasionally, for worse. Come to a live taping of The Last Laugh podcast with special guest Mae Martin at Netflix Is a Joke Fest on May 8.Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow Allegra Frank on Twitter @LegsFrankFollow Sean L. McCarthy on Instagram @thecomicscomicFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Benanti has been nominated for five Tony Awards (with one win) and appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies since making her Broadway debut at 19 years old as Maria in ‘The Sound of Music.’ But as the title of her new solo stage show attests, she still reminds herself on a daily basis that ‘Nobody Cares’ about her many accomplishments. In this episode, Benanti talks about mining her most embarrassing life stories for musical comedy in her new show, which returns to the New York stage and premieres on Audible next month. She also reveals how playing Melania Trump on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ finally made people take her “seriously” as a comedic actress and what she thinks is going through the former first lady’s head as her husband stands trial for paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.But first, Matt and Allegra break down Conan O’Brien’s triumphant (or is it?) streaming premiere after his decades-long run on late-night TV with the new travel series ‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’ on Max. Come to a live taping of The Last Laugh podcast with special guest Mae Martin at Netflix Is a Joke Fest on May 8.Get tickets for Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at Audible.comFollow Laura Benanti on Instagram @laurabenantiFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Demetri Martin just put out his first new stand-up hour in six years. But when he sits down for this interview with The Last Laugh podcast, he’s about to tape the second of what will be a trilogy of specials for Netflix. It’s quite a comeback moment for the (shockingly) 50-year-old comedian, who has remained mostly out of the spotlight in recent years as provocative, autobiographical stand-up comedy has overtaken the one-liner “joke machine” style that he has been honing for more than half of his life. In this episode, Martin breaks down the meta-concept behind his new ‘Demetri Deconstructed’ special, reveals why he started bringing drawings on stage, shares his take on some of the more concerning comedy trends and a lot more. Plus, Matt and Allegra take on the state of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and why this past weekend’s Ryan Gosling-hosted episode was the show at its very best. Follow Demetri Martin on Twitter @DemetriMartin and Instagram @demetrimartinofficialFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Edelman was having a hectic week before an unexpected earthquake briefly knocked out the internet in his New York apartment just before our podcast taping. “I feel crazy every day,” Edelman admits on the eve of his solo show, ‘Just for Us,’ premiering on HBO. “But also, this is what a comedian wants for his work. I’m very verklempt.” In this episode, the 35-year-old Jewish comic shares the unique challenges of bringing his story about attending a white supremacist meeting in Queens to the stage and screen, including the sudden death of his director just before opening on Broadway and how performing a show about antisemitism changed after October 7th. Edelman also discusses the surreal experience of getting notes from comedy heroes like Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld and Billy Crystal, tells a story about the time he baffled Mel Brooks by calling him “woke” to his face, and teases his next stand-up hour on the Israel-Gaza war. But first, Matt and Allegra break down the series finale of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ including an unsentimental goodbye to Richard Lewis and an surprising twist on the infamous ‘Seinfeld’ ending. Follow Alex Edelman on Twitter @alexedelman and Instagram @alexedelmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been six years since W. Kamau Bell’s last special ‘Private School Negro’ premiered on Netflix. And after hosting CNN’s ‘United Shades of America’ for seven seasons and directing two hit documentaries, he’s not totally sure that he should still be considered a stand-up comedian. In his third appearance on the podcast—taped in-studio in his native Oakland—Bell speaks frankly about his ambivalence around pursuing the life of a comic right now and why he keeps finding himself on stage, especially as the 2024 election heats up. Bell discusses comedy’s role in the Biden vs. Trump rematch, why comedians like Joe Rogan have embraced third-party spoiler RFK Jr., the fallout from his ‘We Need to Talk About Cosby’ docuseries and a lot more. But first, The Daily Beast’s Allegra Frank joins host Matt Wilstein to answer some burning questions about the first episode of ‘Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show.’ How real is it? Is the identity of the anonymous masked man supposed to be so obvious? And why do we find this deeply sad show so funny? Follow W. Kamau Bell on Twitter @wkamaubell and Instagram @wkamaubellFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been more than a decade since Tig Notaro broke through in a big way by walking onto the stand-up stage in Los Angeles and telling her audience, “Hello, I have cancer.” And for better or worse, she has even more medical scares to joke about in her latest special ‘Hello Again,’ streaming now on Amazon Prime Video. In this episode, which marks the five year anniversary of The Last Laugh, Notaro returns to the podcast to discuss how she manages to keep finding humor in these terrifying life experiences. The comedian also opens up about collaborating with her wife Stephanie Allyne, who directed the new special, getting heckled by her twin boys at a charity event, mining her awkward interactions with celebrity friends for comedy and a lot more. Stream Tig Notaro’s ‘Hello Again’ on Amazon Prime VideoPre-order David E. Low’s ‘Transgressive Humor in Classrooms’ (20% off with code EFLY01)Follow Tig Notaro on Twitter @TigNotaro and Instagram @therealfluffnotaroFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s genuinely disorienting to see Kyle Kinane without the signature beard that has become his comedy brand over the past 15 years or so when his clean-shaved face pops up on Zoom. “God, I hate brands so much,” he says. “I love nothing more than exploding personal brands.” In this episode, Kinane opens up about his decision to leave Los Angeles for Portland after losing his coveted gig as the official voice of Comedy Central and why he no longer feels like he needs the corporate structure that has kept so many of his fellow comedians tethered to the center of the entertainment industry. He also discusses why his comedy seems to appeal to both sides of the political aisle—for better or worse—and why he has no respect for any comedian who embellishes the truth on stage in an effort to “garner sympathy.”Stream/download Kyle Kinane’s new special ‘Dirt Nap’Follow Kyle Kinane on Twitter @kylekinane and Instagram @kylekinaneFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite never really doing comedy before ‘Girls5eva,’ Renée Elise Goldsberry has managed to steal nearly every scene she’s been in over the two seasons of that show’s initial run on Peacock and third, which arrives with a splash on Netflix this week. In this episode, the Tony and Grammy Award winning actor reveals what it was like to find her comedic voice as the self-obsessed diva Wickie Roy, including how the character has inspired her to become more ambitious in her own career and the parallels between mastering Tina Fey’s brand of rapid-fire jokes and learning to rap for her role as Angelica Schyuler in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton.’ Goldsberry talks about getting cut out of Fey and Amy Poehler’s movie ‘Sisters,’ meeting co-star Paula Pell in their musical episode ‘Documentary Now’ and why she would be “shocked” if there wasn’t a fourth season of ‘Girls5eva’ coming to Netflix in the near future. Follow Renée Elise Goldsberry on Twitter @reneegoldsberry and Instagram @reneeelisegoldsberryFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Bassem Youssef has been widely known as “The Egyptian Jon Stewart” ever since he gave up being a heart surgeon and made himself into the premier political satirist of the Arab Spring. Now, more than a decade after that career transformation took place, Youssef has been back in the news thanks to his mega-viral with Piers Morgan and subsequent outspoken commentary against both Israel and President Joe Biden. In this episode, Youssef breaks down how he has employed the darkest of humor to draw attention to the fate of the Palestinian people, shares his strong reaction to Stewart’s recent take on the Israel-Gaza War, and reveals why he thinks it might be “too late” for Biden to win back the Arab-American support he may well need to beat Donald Trump. Get tickets to see Bassem Youssef on ‘The Middle Beast Tour’Follow Bassem Youssef on Twitter @Byoussef and Instagram @bassemFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Donnell Rawlings was a professional comedian, he was an amateur heckler. He would go to comedy clubs and yell back at the stage, sometimes getting even bigger laughs than the guy with the mic. So even with his Dave Chappelle-produced stand-up special ‘A New Day’ dropping on Netflix this week it’s perhaps no surprise that he recently came full circle, getting caught on camera heckling fellow comic Corey Holcomb at The Laugh Factory in L.A. for going after both him and his famous friend of more than 20 years. In this episode, Rawlings breaks down that viral incident and talks about the long and “humbling” road he took to finally get his own Netflix moment. He also reflects on making a huge mark on “Chappelle’s Show” with relatively little screen time, how he felt about Chappelle walking away from that show without telling him and why he has no time for anyone who might be offended by their comedy. Follow Donnell Rawlings on Twitter @donnellrawlings and Instagram @donnellrawlingsFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Rory Scovel has never really known what he was going to say when he walked onto the stand-up stage. But that all changed when he decided—20 years into his career—to finally do the “homework” of actually writing a complete and cohesive hour. The result is his new special, ‘Religion, Sex and a Few Things in Between,’ which Scovel describes as the “tightest” set of material he’s ever produced (and is streaming now on Max). In his return to the podcast for this bonus episode, Scovel discusses how this new approach changed his experience on stage, how he still strives to stay ultra-present in his work and why he has decided to lean into politics (with an eye on George Carlin) for his next act. Follow Rory Scovel on Instagram @roryscovelFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jenny Slate has never been a traditional stand-up comic. And after a lengthy hiatus that followed her 2019 Netflix special ‘Stage Fright’ and included both a global pandemic and the birth of her daughter, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get up in front of an audience again. “I didn’t have a system in place for how to get back up on stage. I didn’t know how to do that,” she says in this episode. But now, with her new hour ‘Seasoned Professional’ set to premiere this Friday, Feb. 23 on Amazon Prime Video, Slate breaks down how she made her way back in front of the mic and why she decided to get so intimately personal in the special. Slate reflects on how her one unfortunate season as a ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member has informed the rest of her career, from finding the right kind of community on projects like ‘Kroll Show’ and ‘Bob’s Burgers’ to learning how to make her own unlikely success as ‘Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.’ And she discusses what it was like to pass the torch of her mixed race character on ‘Big Mouth’ to Ayo Edebiri, why she’s not sure ‘Obvious Child,’ her comedy film about abortion, would hit viewers in the same way 10 years later, and a lot more.Follow Jenny Slate on Instagram @jennyslateFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this improvised comedy podcast, Ike Barinholtz stars as controversial shock jock host Chris Chatman. Chatman’s hit podcast was canceled but he's listened, learned, and is back on the mic to finally win over a few female listeners. Or maybe even just one. In each episode, Chatman and his co-hosts Frankie (Lisa Gilroy) and the Professor (Neil Casey) unpack hot-button issues with expert guests butoffend pretty much everyone in the process. Guest stars include Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Ashley Nicole Black, Carla Cackowski, Craig Cackowski, Liz Cackowski, Jessica St. Clair, E.R. Fightmaster, Ego Nwodim, Busy Philipps, Emily Spivey, and Alice Stanley Jr. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laurie Kilmartin knew that naming her new stand-up special ‘Cis Woke Grief Slut’ might be a little provocative. “I'm open to hate watches!” the comedian and longtime ‘Conan’ writer jokes in this episode. No stranger to controversy, Kilmartin also breaks down why she decided to tweet an incredibly dark series of jokes as her mother was dying of COVID in 2020, opens up about the experience of receiving death threats from right-wingers after making an abortion joke on MSNBC and why she prefers reluctant, involuntary laughter to the type of agenda-affirming applause that currently dominates late-night television. Stream Laurie Kilmartin’s new special ‘Cis Woke Grief Slut’Follow Laurie Kilmartin on Twitter @anylaurie16 and Instagram @anylaurie16Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Moshe Kasher became a stand-up comedian, his life was defined by his intimate connections to Alcoholics Anonymous, the deaf community, rave culture, Burning Man and Judaism. Each of these distinct communities serve as chapters in his excellent new book,  ‘Subculture Vulture: A Memoir in Six Scenes.’ In this episode, Kasher breaks down how these various identities helped make him the person he is both on and off stage today, from early jokes about growing up with two deaf parents to the Emmy-winning documentary about antisemitism that hits very differently in the wake of the October 7th attacks and Israel’s response. He also reads a passage from the book about how he overcame his inherent skepticism about Burning Man, explains why he feels at home on both sides of the comedy world’s woke vs. anti-woke divide and shares his reaction to all of the recent attention his wife, fellow comedian Natasha Leggero, received when she went topless on stage at the Hollywood Improv. But Moshe Kasher’s new book ‘Subculture Vulture: A Memoir in Six Scenes’Follow Moshe Kasher on Twitter @moshekasher and Instagram @moshekasherFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacqueline Novak spent six long years developing her “90 minute meditation on the blow job.” Now that “Get on Your Knees” is streaming on Netflix—and garnering rave reviews—the comedian sits down with The Last Laugh podcast to talk about what it’s like to give up control as viewers around the world are welcomed into her most intimate thoughts and ideas. In this episode, Novak breaks down how she decided to take her career into her own hands and create something that felt worthy of her talents after years of five-minute sets on pizza and french fries, opens up about the double-edged sword of being a female comic who talks about sex on stage and shares what she wants to do next now that her star-making project is finally finished.Follow Jacqueline Novak on Instagram @jacnovFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Zach Woods was first cast as Gabe on Season 6 of ‘The Office,’ he found a comment online where someone described his face as a “combination of sadness and food poisoning.” And that was before he had even appeared in an episode. “I was like, buckle up, here we go!” he recalls thinking at the time. In this episode, Woods breaks down how he went from the “abject terror” of joining one of his favorite comedy shows to channeling some of the tech world’s biggest weirdos as Jared on HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley’ to co-creating and starring as the deeply awkward fictional NPR host Lauren Caspian in his new stop-motion animated Peacock show ‘In the Know’ opposite live-action celebrities like Mike Tyson, Hugh Laurie, Nicole Byer and others. Follow Zach Woods on TikTok @zachwoods and Instagram @mrzachwoodsFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul F. Tompkins is widely considered to be among the best comedy podcast guests of all time. But as he tells me in this episode, he doesn’t let that pressure get to him, because he offers up humbly, “I don’t believe it.” Tompkins has done it all in his nearly four decades of comedy, from sketch to stand-up to voicing animated characters on shows like ‘Bojack Horseman’ and ‘Bob’s Burgers.’ But among his greatest comedic achievements are the hundreds of hours he’s spent improvising in character with Scott Aukerman and others on the ‘Comedy Bang! Bang!’ podcast. In this episode, Tompkins discusses how that experience has helped to shape his comic sensibility and bring him the ideal level of fame and respect within the comedy world. He also opens up about starting his career alongside alleged insurrectionist Jake Johnston, why he never wants to work with Bill Maher again and the problem with comedians who believe their only job is to offend.  Stream ‘Varietopia with Paul F. Tompkins’ on February 2ndFollow Paul F. Tompkins on Threads @pftompkins and Instagram @pftompkinsFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Joe Pera for real? That’s the inevitable question you start asking yourself after seeing him perform soft-spoken stand-up jokes, listening to his deliberately sleep-inducing podcast or watching his exquisitely serene Adult Swim series ‘Joe Pera Talks With You.’ In this episode, Pera goes deep on how he developed his very unique comedy style and responds directly to those who think his entire comic persona might be some sort of elaborate ruse. He also reflects on the end of his beloved and deeply personal show, reveals how Taylor Swift helped inspire his upcoming stand-up tour and tells the full story behind securing the rights to The Who’s “Baba O’Riley.” Get tickets for The Peras Tour at joepera.comFollow Joe Pera on Twitter @JosephPera and Instagram @joeperaFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first time Jordan Klepper and Roy Wood Jr. worked together was for a 2015 ‘Daily Show’ field piece that asked the question, “Are all cops racist?” Now, they are kicking off 2024 by joining forces once again for a series of “comedic town halls” across the country. In this episode, Klepper and Wood return to the podcast (for their fourth and third appearances, respectively) to let fans know what they can expect from their ‘America: For the Last Time’ tour and share their thoughts about the inevitable Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump rematch nobody seems to want. The pair of ‘Daily Show’ correspondents also speak openly about that show’s very public search for a host to replace Trevor Noah, including why Wood decided to step down when it seemed like it wasn’t going to be him, whether Klepper is still gunning for the big seat and what they both thought about everything that went down with their old colleague Hasan Minhaj. Get tickets for the ‘America: For the Last Time’ tourFollow Jordan Klepper on Twitter @jordanklepper and Instagram @jordanklepperFollow Roy Wood Jr. on Twitter @roywoodjr and Instagram @roywoodjrFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If there’s anyone in Hollywood who might be immune to criticism, it’s 11-time Emmy-winner and Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But as the comedy legend admits in this episode, the rare negative comment about her work still “stings.” That feeling is at the heart of Louis-Dreyfus’ latest film ‘You Hurt My Feelings,’ in which she delivers the most emotionally raw performance of her career. During our conversation, the actress reflects on her early struggles as a cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the catharsis of returning as host. She also reveals what she really thought about the divisive ‘Seinfeld’ finale 25 years later, breaks down the difference between ‘Veep’s’ Selina Meyer and her own “narcissistic” father and a lot more.This episode was originally published on May 16th, 2023.Follow Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Twitter @OfficialJLD and Instagram @officialjldFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time again for our annual, year-end crossover episode in which Matt Wilstein joins The New Abnormal host Andy Levy to talk about everything from how the Hasan Minhaj “emotional truth” debacle upended the search for a new ‘Daily Show’ host to the disturbing rise of TikTok comedian Matt Rife to why they are both so obsessed with Nate Bargatze and more. Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been more than three decades since Wanda Sykes first stepped onto the stand-up stage. And sometimes, it feels like she’s just now getting her due. The legendary comedian just received her first-ever Grammy nomination for her latest Netflix special ‘I’m an Entertainer,’ which also landed nods at the Emmys and Golden Globes. The hard-hitting hour takes on many of the most divisive topics of the year without pandering to either side or ever punching down. “It’s just noise. And I like to try to cut through that,” she says of the way her comedy reacts to the broader political conversation. In this episode, Sykes takes on everything from the problem with Dave Chappelle’s anti-trans jokes to why she was shocked Will Smith didn’t get dragged out of the Oscars for slapping her friend Chris Rock to hitting the road for her Please & Thank You tour during an election year to how she thinks about her place in the comedy pantheon and a lot more. Follow Wanda Sykes on Twitter @iamwandasykes and Instagram @iamwandasykesFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Judd Apatow is known for making long movies, from comedies like ‘Funny People’ or ‘This Is 40’  that balloon past two hours to documentaries on his comedy heroes like the two-part, four-hour films about Garry Shandling and George Carlin. So it was somewhat of a shock when he dropped a 20-minute short last month about the lifelong friendship between Don Rickles and Bob Newhart. “I’ve changed,” he jokes. “All my movies are going to be shorts now, no matter the genre.” In this bonus episode—his third appearance on the show—Apatow breaks down what made those two stylistically opposed icons a perfect off-stage pair. He also weighs in on how the art of roasting has evolved over the years, shares memories about his friend and mentor Norman Lear and explains why he thinks Lena Dunham’s ‘Girls’ is finally being fully appreciated more than a decade after its premiere. Watch ‘Bob and Don: A Love Story’ at newyorker.comFollow Judd Apatow on Twitter @juddapatow and Instagram @juddapatowFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Leo Reich takes the stage at the top of his new HBO special ‘Literally, Who Cares?!’ we hear him introduce himself as the “youngest comedian ever.” As he explains in this episode, “I try to really lean into a kind of self-appointed voice-of-a-generation or young genius vibe,” before making sure to add, “in an ironic way.” That upending of expectations around the attitudes of a queer Gen Z comedian—or “rug-pulling,” as he puts it—are at the heart of Reich’s excellent new show, which first ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022 and premieres on HBO and Max this Saturday, December 16th. Reich talks about writing the show while he was still living at home with his parents during the pandemic, why he prefers the connection of a live audience to being a slave to the TikTok algorithm and the ultimate laziness of railing against “cancel culture.” Follow Leo Reich on Twitter @leoistired and Instagram @leo_reichFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 years ago, Cord Jefferson was blogging for Gawker. Now, his directorial debut ‘American Fiction’ is almost guaranteed a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars and he’s a frontrunner for Best Adapted Screenplay. In this episode, Jefferson traces his path from online journalist to full-fledged filmmaker, with stops along the way writing for ‘Master of None,’ ‘The Good Place’ and HBO’s ‘Watchmen,’ for which he won an Emmy Award in 2020. He talks about nailing the darkly satirical tone of his new movie that interrogates the expectations of Black artists, how his own experience in Hollywood influenced the script and the “emotional breaking point” he hit before doing the hard work he had to do on himself to get where he is today. Follow Cord Jefferson on Twitter @cordjefferson and Instagram @cordjeffersonFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even if you don’t know Larry Charles’ name, his work is inescapable. He spent years as a writer on ‘Seinfeld’ before starting his career as a director on shows like ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and movies like Sacha Baron Cohen’s ‘Borat’ and ‘Brüno.’ Now, after swearing off Hollywood, he’s back with what might be his most “transgressive” movie yet, ‘Dicks: The Musical,’ a truly deranged comedy about two “straight” twins who were separated at birth and ultimately fall in love. In this episode, Charles reveals why this was the project that got him to narrative filmmaking and shares stories from the sets of ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Curb,’ ‘Borat’ and more. Plus, the director opens up more than ever before about the major falling out he had with longtime collaborator Larry David after HBO pulled their documentary project at the very last minute. Watch ‘Dicks: The Musical’ at homeFollow Larry Charles on Twitter @larrycharles and Instagram @larrycharlesFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a special arrives on Netflix in its finished form, viewers don’t typically get to see all of the excruciating work that went into making it a polished piece. But for anyone who has been listening to Birbiglia’s Working It Out podcast over the past couple of years, it’s all there. “I was doing it privately,” he says on this week’s episode of The Last Laugh podcast. “I feel like it’s something that’s kind of unspoken about stand-up, that for the most part, we are in communities of comedians who kick around joke tags: ‘Hey, what if you did this with it?’ And ‘I have a similar story about this, and you know you could use that if you want to,’ or whatever it is. And we kind of just put it out there with audio rolling.” In his second appearance on The Last Laugh, Birbiglia talks about how this process helped shape his latest Broadway show-turned-Netflix special ‘The Old Man and the Pool,’ shares his thoughtful response to the “emotional truth” controversy that came for his friend and fellow comic Hasan Minhaj, breaks down how he handles criticism of his own work, and a lot more. Follow Mike Birbiglia on Twitter @birbigs and Instagram @birbigsFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whitney Cummings likes to think of herself as a comedy “martyr,” one of many modern comedians who are willing to “sacrifice themselves just to make sure the First Amendment is still intact.” She believes so strongly in her right to say whatever she wants on stage that she left Comedy Central, HBO and Netflix behind to put out her latest uncensored stand-up special on Only Fans TV.  In this new episode, Cummings talks very openly about the state of comedy as she sees it in 2023 and why she decided to embrace the “safe-for-work” arm of the popular porn platform to produce a series of celebrity roasts and now her sixth special, ‘Mouthy.’ The comedian also discusses why trans jokes comprise nearly half of the new hour, how her perspective on the divisive issue differs from male comics like Dave Chappelle, why she was willing to apologize to one trans audience member who was offended by her material, that time she may have gone too far in front of an audience of Saudi businessmen and more. Stream ‘Mouthy’ on OFTVFollow Whitney Cummings on Twitter @WhitneyCummings and Instagram @whitneycummingsFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Last Laugh podcast is back… and moving to Wednesdays! Make sure you’re following this feed so you can listen to all-new episodes of this podcast, with some very exciting new guests, starting next Wednesday, November 15th. Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henry Winker (2023 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series) has repeatedly doubted himself throughout his long and storied career. From landing the coveted role of Arthur Fonzarelli on ‘Happy Days’ to winning his first Emmy Award for playing Gene Cousineau on Bill Hader’s ‘Barry,’ the beloved actor has struggled to overcome what only became known as “imposter syndrome” in recent years. “I invented the syndrome!” Winkler says in this episode. Winkler, who has just written a new memoir called ‘Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond,’ tells stories about his struggles to find work after The Fonz, explains how Adam Sandler helped revive his comedy career, reveals why he turned down hosting SNL, recalls his funniest line from ‘Arrested Development’ and so much more. This episode was originally published on July 26th, 2022.Buy Henry Winkler’s new book ‘Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond’Follow Henry Winkler on Twitter @hwinkler4realFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon Horgan (2023 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actress and Writing in a Drama Series) can’t seem to stop creating television shows. From ‘Pulling’ to ‘Catastrophe’ to ‘Divorce’ to ‘Motherland’ to ‘Shining Vale’ to her latest, the Apple TV+ comedy thriller ‘Bad Sisters,’ she is one of the most prolific TV showrunners in the game. In this episode, Horgan talks about going outside of her comfort zone for her new show and creating her first truly villainous character after years of writing flawed but ultimately sympathetic figures. She also reflects on how she met her ‘Catastrophe’ co-creator and co-star Rob Delaney on Twitter, remembers her final dinner with the late Carrie Fisher (who just happened to bring along Salman Rushdie) and looks ahead to the even more personal show she’s hoping to create next.  This episode was originally published on August 23rd, 2022.Follow Sharon Horgan on Twitter @SharonHorgan and Instagram @sharonhorganFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first 30 years of his career, Alan Ruck (2023 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series) was sure he would always be remembered as Ferris Bueller’s sad best friend. Then ‘Succession’ came along and changed everything. In this episode, Ruck shares his thoughts on the end of ‘Succession,’ including what lies ahead for Connor and Willa’s marriage, the story behind filming that “virtual dinner” with Brian Cox, and why creator Jesse Armstrong made the right decision to quit while he was ahead. The actor also reveals why he asked for his character to be killed off in Season 2 and how the role he was waiting his entire career for has forever altered his professional legacy. This episode was originally published on June 6th, 2023.Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s now been four years since Gary Gulman released his remarkable stand-up special ‘The Great Depresh.’ And despite a global pandemic that caused its own parallel mental health crisis, he says he’s really never felt better. The prolific comedian has a new memoir out called ‘Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ‘80s’ and when we spoke, he was about to perform at Carnegie Hall—less than five years after he walked out of a psychiatric ward. In this episode, Gulman opens up about how he turned things around and achieved a new level of comedy confidence that has allowed him to be vulnerable on stage in a whole new way. He also weighs in on Bo Burnham’s anxiety-themed special ‘Inside,’ discusses his role in Amy Schumer’s Hulu series ‘Life & Beth’, looks back at his “miserable” time on Dane Cook’s ‘Tourgasm’ and a lot more.This episode was originally published on September 21st, 2021.Buy Gary Gulman’s book ‘Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ‘80s’Follow Gary Gulman on Twitter @GaryGulman and Instagram @garygulmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Bamford has been performing stand-up comedy for more than 30 years and just keeps getting better. Her most recent hour-long special ‘Weakness Is the Brand’ found her at the top of her game, delivering operatic bits about her ongoing mental health struggles and relentless drive to be a good person in the world. In this episode, we talk about how she arrived at relative stability, the challenges that female comics still face in a male-dominated industry, how she felt when Netflix canceled her autobiographical show ‘Lady Dynamite’ after two seasons and a lot more—including an unvarnished take on Louis C.K.This episode was originally published on January 28th, 2020.Buy Maria Bamford’s book ‘Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere’Follow Maria Bamford on Twitter @mariabamfoo and Instagram @mariabamfordcomedyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first two professional acting gigs that Sam Richardson (2023 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for ‘Ted Lasso’) booked were on ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘The Office.’ And he has never stopped rising the ranks of the comedy world since, from what was supposed to be a one-episode guest spot as Richard Splett on ‘Veep’ to his first real romantic leading role on Apple TV+’s high-school reunion murder mystery comedy ‘The Afterparty.’ In this episode, Richardson talks about collaborating with his former improv teacher Tim Robinson on the brilliantly funny ‘Detroiters’ and ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ how he ended up channeling his Ghanaian heritage on ‘Ted Lasso’ and how it felt to be called “his generation’s Tom Hanks” by one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood.This episode was originally published on February 15th, 2022.Follow Sam Richardson on Twitter @SamRichardson and Instagram @thesamrichardsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedy icon Martin Short (2023 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for ‘Only Murders in the Building’) is well into his 70s. And while he’s still capable of the unbounded energy he first showed the world on shows like ‘SCTV’ and ‘Saturday Night Live,’ he can also be more sincere and reflective than his biggest fans might expect. In this in-depth conversation, the man who’s known as just “Marty” to his famous friends tells hilarious stories about working with Steve Martin, performing for David Letterman, embodying Jiminy Glick and more. Plus, he breaks down what it took to transform himself into a #MeToo monster for his Emmy-nominated role on ‘The Morning Show’ and talks about the origins of ‘Only Murders’ co-starring Steve Martin and Selena Gomez.This episode was originally published on August 18th, 2020.Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Hader (2023 Emmy-nominated actor, writer and director for HBO’s ‘Barry’) is well known as the most generous “laugher” in comedy. But when he’s talking about his increasingly dark HBO series ‘Barry,’ those laughs come with a razor sharp edge. In this episode, the ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum goes deep on the mental state of his hitman character as the show approached its final season. He also reflects on his anxiety-filled SNL experience, why he and John Mulaney never made that rumored Stefon movie, the specific genius of ‘Documentary Now!’ and why he couldn’t stop laughing at Paul Rudd’s final ‘Mac and Me’ prank on the final week of ‘Conan.’ This episode was originally published on April 26th, 2022.Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 215 episodes, featuring interviews with some of the funniest people on the planet, The Last Laugh podcast is taking a little breather. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements about what the next iteration of this show will look like when it returns in the fall—and please take a moment to show us some love in the meantime by leaving a rating and review. See you back here very soon!Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from all of our episodes at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrea Martin has been a force to be reckoned with in the comedy world since her professional debut as part of the Toronto cast of ‘Godspell’ in 1972 and a few years later as a cast member on Canada’s answer to ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ‘SCTV’—both alongside Martin Short. This summer, she is reteaming with Short once more on Season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which premieres next month on Hulu. In this episode—our final one for a while—Martin teases her role as Steve Martin’s love interest and reveals there may have been a moment when she was up for the part that ultimately went to Selena Gomez. The 76-year-old actress also reflects on five decades in show business, from the ego blow of never being asked to do SNL to an update on Martin Scorsese’s SCTV reunion documentary to the one big project that is still on her career bucket list. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Offerman, who is poised to land his first acting Emmy nomination for his guest appearance on HBO’s ‘The Last of Us,’ takes us inside his prolific Hollywood career. In this episode, the actor opens up about tearing up at the end of the ‘Parks and Recreation’ reunion special, breaks down his intense performance on ‘Devs,’ looks back on his earliest TV roles on ‘ER’ and ‘24,’ shares how his priorities shifted as he entered his 50s and a lot more. This episode was originally published on May 26th, 2020.Follow Nick Offerman on Twitter @Nick_Offerman and Instagram @nickoffermanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Nimesh Patel knew the second he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that he would be talking about it on stage very soon. And about a week later—after successful surgery to remove his right testicle—there he was at the Comedy Cellar in New York City making jokes about his one remaining ball. In this episode, SNL’s first Indian-American writer breaks down how he turned cancer into comedy in his new special ‘Lucky Lefty’ and shares his reaction to the way his comedy mentor Chris Rock tackled his own traumatic incident with Will Smith on stage. He also reveals why he turned down an invitation to appear on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show after inadvertently becoming a hero on the right when he was kicked off stage by Columbia University students mid-show in 2018—and how that experience has made him rethink the debate over “cancel culture” in comedy. Follow Nimesh Patel on Twitter @findingnimesh and Instagram @findingnimeshFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Director Jake Szymanski came up at Funny or Die and ‘Saturday Night Live,’ but nothing he had ever done in the comedy world could have prepared him to pull off what was essentially a real-life version of ‘The Truman Show,’ with jokes, on ‘Jury Duty.’ In this episode, the director breaks down what went into making the comedy-reality show’s unsuspecting star Ronald Gladden think he was in a documentary about jury duty when he was actually surrounded by actors and improv comedians for three weeks straight. Szymanski reveals how they cast Ronald, the secret maneuvers behind the show’s hilarious Margaritaville episode, and the huge sigh of relief he let out when they finally let the cat out of the bag.  Follow Jake Szymanski on Twitter @szyjake and Instagram @szyjakeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paula Poundstone may have essentially invented “crowd work,” as the process of turning conversations with members of an audience into comedy is known today. But she still hates the term. “If I’m  walking down the street and I say hi to somebody, is that street work?” she asks. In this episode, Poundstone opens up about her unlikely path to becoming a comedy icon in the 1980s and ‘90s and how it all nearly came crashing down after her arrest in 2001. She also reflects on her frosty relationship with Johnny Carson, reveals what her own early brush with “cancel culture” made her think about second chances and a lot more. Follow Paula Poundstone on Twitter @paulapoundstone and Instagram @paulapoundstoneFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first 30 years of his career, Alan Ruck was sure he would always be remembered as Ferris Bueller’s sad best friend. Then ‘Succession’ came along and changed everything. In this episode, Ruck shares his thoughts on the end of ‘Succession,’ [SPOILER ALERT!] including what lies ahead for Connor and Willa’s marriage, the story behind filming that “virtual dinner” with Brian Cox, and why creator Jesse Armstrong made the right decision to quit while he was ahead. The actor also reveals why he asked for his character to be killed off in Season 2 and how the role he was waiting his entire career for has forever altered his professional legacy. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our upcoming episode with Alan Ruck, dropping next Tuesday, the actor who brought Connor Roy to life over the last four seasons of HBO’s ‘Succession’ shares his reaction to the series finale and what he thinks might lie ahead for Connor and Willa. Follow The Last Laugh now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, June 6th. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Amber Ruffin is systematically taking over the entertainment industry. And now she’s bringing her sister Lacey Lamar along for the ride. With two books, and now a new podcast from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network, the pair is busier than ever—even as the Writers Guild strike has shut down much of Hollywood. In this episode, Ruffin talks about the state of late-night TV as a whole (and her eponymous Peacock show specifically) and reflects on the ‘Saturday Night Live’ audition that inadvertently brought a generation of Black female comedians together and led Seth Meyers to hire her as the first Black woman to write for a network late-night show. The sisters also reveal how they find humor in “everyday racism” and why they decided to embrace their true, deeply silly selves, on their podcast. Listen to THE AMBER & LACEY, LACEY & AMBER SHOWFollow Amber Ruffin on Twitter @ambermruffin and Instagram @amberruffinFollow Lacey Lamar on Twitter @LaceyLamar1 and Instagram @laceylamar1Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Baruchel never intended to be a comedian. But there was a brief moment there in the mid-2000s when he made what he now describes as the “stupid” decision to try and become a movie star. In this episode, the Canadian actor talks about taking on his most dramatic role yet in the new film ‘BlackBerry’ about the rise and fall of the Canadian predecessor to the iPhone. Baruchel also traces the story of how Judd Apatow plucked him from obscurity to star in the short-lived Fox sitcom ‘Undeclared,’ setting off a string of roles in comedy hits like ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘Tropic Thunder’ and ‘This Is the End,’ a movie he was convinced would be a total disaster—not just because of his very real beef with co-star Jonah Hill, both on screen and off—and ended up wildly exceeding his expectations.  Follow Jay Baruchel on Instagram @jonathanadamsaundersbaruchelFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If there’s anyone in Hollywood who might be immune to criticism, it’s 11-time Emmy-winner and Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But as the comedy legend admits in this episode, the rare negative comment about her work still “stings.” That feeling is at the heart of Louis-Dreyfus’ new film ‘You Hurt My Feelings,’ in which she delivers the most emotionally raw performance of her career. During our conversation, the actress reflects on her early struggles as a cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the catharsis of returning as host. She also reveals what she really thought about the divisive ‘Seinfeld’ finale 25 years later, breaks down the difference between ‘Veep’s’ Selina Meyer and her own “narcissistic” father and a lot more.Listen to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ podcast Wiser Than MeFollow Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Twitter @OfficialJLD and Instagram @officialjldFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One week into the WGA strike, it’s time for a closer look at what’s at stake for the writers who entertain us on a daily basis. And there’s no one better to break it all down than ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ writer Sal Gentile. In this episode, the man behind Meyers’ “A Closer Look” segments talks about both the immediate and potentially lasting impact of the strike on late-night TV, what it’s been like out there on the picket lines, and how long he thinks this thing could last. Gentile also shares the story behind his unique path from cable news to late-night, reveals how he ended up creating the most consistently funny and informative segment in late-night and recalls the time he got to go “toe-to-toe” with Larry David in a behind-the-scenes sketch.Follow Sal Gentile on Twitter @salgentile and Instagram @salgentileFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite playing the often monstrously narcissistic Brooke Dubek on the criminally underrated comedy series ‘The Other Two,’ Heléne Yorke finds herself able to relate to her character more than she would like to admit. In this bonus episode, Yorke previews Season 3 of the show, which returned on HBO Max this week, and reveals how she ended up at the center of the one the funniest shows on TV. She also shares hilarious stories about making the leap from Broadway to the screen on shows like ‘Louie,’ ‘30 Rock’ and ‘High Maintenance’ and that time she almost pooped her pants on stage as Glinda in ‘Wicked.’ Follow Heléne Yorke on Twitter @HeleneYorke and Instagram @heleneyorkeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 27 years as a contributor on ‘The Daily Show,’ Lewis Black is finally getting the chance to host. While the comedian candidly admits that it took Comedy Central long enough to give him a call, he is set to take the reins as guest host for the week of June 20th. In his return to the podcast, Black drops his angry persona and reflects on his comedic legacy. He also talks about why he called his latest stand-up special ‘Tragically, I Need You’—available to stream today on YouTube—and weighs in on misplaced conservative outrage over Bud Light and Fox News’ decision to fire “asshole” Tucker Carlson. Watch Lewis Black’s new special ‘Tragically, I Need You’ on YouTubeFollow Lewis Black on Twitter @TheLewisBlack and Instagram @thelewisblackFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a time when Jeff Hiller would have killed to play the stereotypical “gay best friend” on TV. Now, after years of fleeting guest spots from “gay hooker” to “bitchy” flight attendant, he’s showing the world what he’s capable of as the sweetly hilarious Joel on HBO’s ‘Somebody Somewhere.’ In this episode, Hiller talks about how his real-life relationship with star Bridget Everett is reflected on screen and why it’s so important for “normal” queer characters to exist on TV. He also shares what it was like to pop up on shows like ‘30 Rock,’ ‘Community’ and ‘Broad City’ as well as that time he totally botched his SNL audition. Follow Jeff Hiller on Instagram @boomboomhillerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jena Friedman wants you to know that she’s in on the joke. And in her new book of essays, pointedly titled ‘Not Funny,’ she deftly demonstrates how she has become one of the most uncompromising comedic voices of her generation, from her days as a field producer on ‘The Daily Show,’ to her Oscar-nominated writing on Sacha Baron Cohen’s ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,’ to her first hour-long stand-up ‘Ladykiller,’ in which she delivered some killer abortion jokes while pregnant with her first child. In her third appearance on the podcast, Friedman holds nothing back, spilling tea about her negative experience with James Corden, revealing why she decided to turn the tables on male comedians like Jon Stewart and Jim Gaffigan by asking them the offensive questions female comedians tend to get in interviews and discussing that time Bill Burr “told on himself” by responding to her tweets about predatory comics. Follow Jena Friedman on Twitter @JenaFriedman and Instagram @jenafriedmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodBuy Jena Friedman’s book ‘Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera’Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘The Daily Show’s’ most valuable player is finally ready for his big moment behind the desk. It’s been more than nine years since Jordan Klepper became a correspondent on the late-night comedy show and since then has become a cultural force in his own right for his life-risking forays into MAGA world. In this bonus episode, Klepper returns to the podcast for a third time to preview his week as guest-host of ‘The Daily Show,’ starting next Monday, April 17. He shares his plans for the big chair, how hard it’s going to be to follow Roy Wood Jr. and what he would say if Comedy Central wanted to make him the show’s permanent host. Follow Jordan Klepper on Twitter @jordanklepper and Instagram @jordanklepperFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mae Whitman has been a professional actor since she was two years old. But nothing she has done over the course of her career prepared her for how terrifying it would feel to bare her soul through song in the new musical rom-com ‘Up Here,’ streaming now on Hulu. In this episode, Whitman looks back on acting with George Clooney in ‘One Fine Day,’ Sandra Bullock in ‘Hope Floats,’ David Schwimmer on ‘Friends’ and more as a small child before making the transition to grown-up TV star on ‘Parenthood,’ ‘Good Girls,’ and now ‘Up Here.’ She also shares stories from the set of ‘Arrested Development,’ where she received a comedy master class playing Ann Veal (“her?”) opposite Michael Cera.Follow Mae Whitman on Twitter @maebirdwing and Instagram @mistergarfFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s taken a while for Samantha Bee to get over the “shock” of losing her late-night TV platform. But now that she has, the comedian wants to make it clear that she still has a lot to say. In our 200th episode, Bee returns to The Last Laugh to look back on the legacy of ‘Full Frontal’ and ahead to the nationwide live tour she never could have pulled off while still hosting a weekly show. She directly addresses those who found her on-screen persona too “angry” and reveals whether anyone from ‘The Daily Show’ reached out to her about being a guest host after Trevor Noah stepped down. After everything, Bee is more confident than ever about how she wants this next chapter of her career to go.Follow Samantha Bee on Twitter @iamsambee and Instagram @realsambeeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our upcoming 200th episode with Samantha Bee, dropping next Tuesday, the comedian reveals how she really felt about her late-night show ‘Full Frontal’ getting canceled and responds to conservative haters who gleefully celebrated her demise. Follow The Last Laugh now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, April 4th. Follow Samantha Bee on Twitter @iamsambee and Instagram @realsambeeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At just 35 years old, Mae Martin has been performing stand-up for more than two decades—from their teenage years at open mic nights in the Toronto comedy scene to hit one-person shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to their first-ever hour long special ‘SAP,’ which was directed by Abbi Jacobson and premieres on Netflix today. In this episode, Martin talks about everything it took to get to this huge moment in their career, including what they learned about themselves making the autobiographical Netflix series ‘Feel Good,’ the difficult decision to come out as gender nonbinary both on the show and in real life and what they make of the rise of anti-trans comedy from some of America’s most popular comedians. Follow Mae Martin on Twitter @TheMaeMartin and Instagram @hooraymaeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paula Pell spent 18 seasons toiling behind-the-scenes as one of ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ most legendary—and often unsung—comedy writers. Now, on the eve of her 60th birthday, she’s never been a bigger star. In this episode, Pell shares her unlikely SNL origin story, breaks down why she stayed for so long, and reveals what it’s been like to finally become the comedic performer she’s always wanted to be on shows like ‘A.P. Bio,’ ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter,’ and ‘Girls5eva,’ which was recently picked up by Netflix for its upcoming third season. Pell also opens up about how SNL changed—for better and worse—during her nearly two decades there and how she knew it was time to move on. Follow Paula Pell on Instagram @pellpixFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hasan Minhaj has had a very busy five years between the release of his first big stand-up special ‘Homecoming King’ in 2017 and the premiere of his new hour ‘The King’s Jester’ on Netflix. The former ‘Daily Show’ correspondent roasted Trump in absentia at the White House Correspondents Dinner, launched and ended his weekly Netflix series ‘Patriot Act’ and found himself in the crosshairs of the Saudis for his unflinching criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. All of it and more form the heart of his new special, which Minhaj discusses at length in this episode. The comedian also opens up about the moment he realized he may have crossed a line with his comedy, reveals an elaborate prank he pitched to Nathan Fielder, addresses the accusations of a toxic work environment at ‘Patriot Act’ and a lot more. This episode was originally published on October 4th, 2022.Follow Hasan Minhaj on Instagram @hasanminhajFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus crossover episode from our friends at the GOD POD, Satan joins God to interview The Last Laugh host Matt Wilstein. They discuss TikTok, the decline of reading, Fox News getting caught spreading election fraud, the importance of investigative reporting, meeting your heroes, SNL, and The Last Laugh podcast, where he gets to interview his favorite comedians. On ‘Ask Matt,’ you’ll learn why it’s called The Daily Beast, who his favorite Australian comic is, what’s the good stuff on late-night TV and if he sleeps. On ‘Ask God,’ find out if Satan and MTG are getting “Physical,” what Satan’s dog is like, and play a game of ‘Would You Rather.’ And it’s a historic first on ‘The Satan Show!’ when Satan reads the guest’s articles about Chelsea Handler, Jimmy Kimmel, and much more. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s taken just over a decade for Ike Barinholtz to fully make it in Hollywood, with starring roles in big films like ‘Blockers’ and high-profile streaming shows like ‘The Afterparty.’ Now, with ‘History of the World, Part II,’ he’s returning to his sketch comedy roots. In this episode, the Second City and ‘MADtv’ alum talks about how he ended up becoming one of the driving forces (along with Nick Kroll and Wanda Sykes) behind the continuation of his comedy hero Mel Brooks’ 1981 classic and how he thinks about what it means to be “offensive” in 2023. Barinholtz also shares stories about ‘MADtv’ going up against SNL in the early 2000s, convincing Mindy Kaling he was really Russian on ‘Eastbound and Down,’ his breakthrough movie performance in ‘Neighbors’ and a lot more.  Follow Ike Barinholtz on Twitter @ikebarinholtz and Instagram @ikebarinholtzFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Danny Pudi received the pilot script for ‘Community,’ his agents wrote at the top that Abed was the role he was “born to play.” He had no idea at the time how true that would be. In this episode, Pudi traces his road from guest star on dramas like ‘The West Wing’ and ‘ER’ to his breakthrough role as the pop culture-obsessed Abed to his charming reunion with ‘Community’ co-star Alison Brie in her new rom-com ‘Somebody I Used to Know.’ We also talk about the career challenges he faced after the sixth season of that cult hit sitcom and how he’s feeling about the chance to inhabit the character again when the ‘Community’ movie finally starts shooting in the near future. Follow Danny Pudi on Twitter @dannypudi and Instagram @danielpudiFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken Marino knows that he’s often called upon to play one of two archetypes. From his earliest days as a member of his NYU sketch group The State to his roles in films like ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ and ‘Wanderlust’ and TV shows like ‘Eastbound and Down’ and ‘The Other Two,’ he mostly swings between insecure buffoon and “straight-up asshole.” But no character better captures his particular comedic gifts than Ron Donald of ‘Party Down,’ which returns this week for its long-awaited third season—13 years after it was canceled. In this episode, Marino talks about what it was like to reunite with Adam Scott, Jane Lynch and the rest of the ‘Party Down’ crew and what fans can expect from the new batch of episodes. He also reflects on the biggest moments of his career, including almost losing out on his roles in ‘Party Down’ and ‘Wet Hot’ to Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell, respectively, the decision to take things into his own hands as a screenwriter with movies like ‘Role Models’ and how he views his place in the comedy world after 30 years on screen. Follow Ken Marino on Twitter @KenMarinoFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alison Brie had one of the luckiest big breaks in the history of television. Before the age of 30, she managed to simultaneously co-star on TV’s most celebrated drama (‘Mad Men’) and most obsessed over comedy (‘Community’) before the age of 30. In the seven years since those two shows ended their iconic runs, she has gone toe-to-toe with both comedy stars like Will Ferrell and acting legends like Meryl Streep on the big screen and rose to the top of the call sheet in her beloved Netflix series ‘GLOW.’ In this episode, Brie talks about making the move to indie film screenwriting with ‘Horse Girl,’ her Italy-set comedy ‘Spin Me Round’ and her new rom-com ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ in which she reunites with ‘Community’ co-star Danny Pudi. She also addresses whether fans can expect to see Chevy Chase in the upcoming ‘Community’ movie, explains why she felt the need to apologize for her voice work on ‘Bojack Horseman’ and a lot more.This episode was originally published on September 20th, 2022.Stream ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ on Amazon Prime VideoFollow Alison Brie on Twitter @alisonbrie and Instagram @alisonbrieFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since leaving her gig as a writer at ‘Saturday Night Live’ behind in 2020, Sam Jay has become an increasingly prolific force in the comedy world. From her debut hour-long Netflix special ‘3 in the Morning’ to her unique take on the late-night variety show ‘Pause’ for HBO to co-creating the sitcom ‘Bust Down’ for Peacock, the Atlanta-born, Boston-raised comic has already shown audiences that she contains multitudes. And all of that was before her breakout performance opposite Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy in Kenya Barris’ new Netflix movie ‘You People.’ In her return to the podcast, Jay talks about how she landed her key role as rom-com bestie and responds to the backlash the film has received for perpetuating racial stereotypes. She also opens up about her decision to leave SNL, reveals the fate of ‘Pause’ and addresses those who felt “hurt” by her jokes comparing trans women to X-Men. Follow Sam Jay on Twitter @SamJayComic and Instagram @samjaycomicFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sherri Shepherd has been a stand-up comedian, sitcom star, ‘The View’ co-host, and now, with her eponymous syndicated talk show ‘Sherri,’ a leading figure on the daytime TV scene. In this episode, Shepherd opens up about the inspiration and advice she received from Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters, how she wants her own show to avoid the types of controversies that still fuel ‘The View’ and how she’s learned to handle the inevitable backlash that will come her way. She also shares some hilarious stories about starting out in stand-up comedy with the Wayans brothers and Jamie Foxx, her memorable guest-starring role on ‘Friends,’ what it was really like to play Tracy Morgan’s wife on ‘30 Rock’ and how she found out she wasn’t Mindy Kaling’s first choice to play Senator Chase on ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls.’Follow Sherri Shepherd on Twitter @sherrieshepherd and Instagram @sherrieshepherdFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Nate Bargatze describes what he does for a living as “saying dumb stuff in front of large groups.” And he’s very good at it. In his third appearance on the podcast for this bonus episode, Bargatze talks about making the jump from Netflix to Amazon for his latest special ‘Hello World,’ which premieres on Tuesday, January 31st and finds him grappling with the everyday challenges of parenthood and middle age as only he can. We also get into the pros and cons of being a “clean” comedian, the one joke that caused a sex worker to call him out for being insensitive and his biggest comedy goals moving forward. Follow Nate Bargatze on Twitter @natebargatze and Instagram @natebargatzeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With five specials on Netflix and millions of followers on social media, Vir Das is an international comedy superstar who can sell out stadiums around the world. But his career nearly came crashing down after he put out his “Two Indias” video in 2021 and had charges brought against him for defaming his home country on foreign soil. In this episode, Das breaks down how he managed to turn one of the most painful experiences of his life into his strongest hour of stand-up yet in ‘Landing,’ which premiered on Netflix this past December. He opens up about what it felt like to be labeled a “terrorist” for speaking out against injustice, shares how he pulled off the “magic trick” at the center of his special and responds to American comedians who complain about getting “canceled” but have never been threatened with imprisonment for telling jokes. Follow Vir Das on Twitter @thevirdas and Instagram @virdasFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jermaine Fowler has never shied away from a challenge. The comedian and actor dropped out of college to become a stand-up and painstakingly worked his way up the ranks of show business until landing his breakthrough performance opposite his comedy idol Eddie Murphy in 2021’s ‘Coming 2 America.’ In this episode, Fowler talks about his latest leading role in ‘The Drop’ as a man whose life is thrown into comedic chaos after his wife (‘PEN15’s’ Anna Konkle) drops their friend’s baby at a destination wedding in Mexico. Fowler also discusses the highs and lows of his comedy career so far, from rejecting “imposter syndrome” while acting opposite Murphy to the promising sitcom he co-created with ‘Abbott Elementary’s’ Quinta Brunson that never saw the light of day to the game-changing stand-up hour he currently has in his sights. Follow Jermaine Fowler on Instagram @jermainefowlerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Woliner is still trying to figure out why he has spent more than 10 years of his life working on a strange comedic docuseries about a middle-aged Florida man who tweeted at him out of the blue. Earlier this month, the director of ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’ and several ‘Nathan for You’ episodes finally premiered ‘Paul T. Goldman’ on Peacock. And as he explains in his return to the podcast, the impossible-to-describe project has left him with more questions than answers about its mysterious protagonist. In this episode, Woliner talks about how working with Sacha Baron Cohen helped inform his freewheeling approach to ‘Paul T. Goldman’ and addresses the many comparisons that have been made to his friend and collaborator Nathan Fielder’s HBO series ‘The Rehearsal’—including allegations that he’s “exploiting” the man at the center of the show. Follow Jason Woliner on Twitter @jwoliner Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea Handler knows exactly what she wants. After an eventful 2022 that included a celebrated guest-hosting gig on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and the release in December of her latest Netflix special ‘Revolution,’ the comedian is gearing up for an even bigger 2023. She is set to guest-host ‘The Daily Show’ in February, and as she readily admits in her return to the podcast, she is actively pursuing that chair on a permanent basis. Handler talks about finding a new level of confidence on stage, why late-night TV is desperate for female voices and why she still believes in love after breaking up with fellow comedian Jo Koy. She also weighs in on Kanye West and Dave Chappelle’s “hurtful” antisemitism and recalls the time she narrowly escaped an unwanted sexual advance from her one-time comedy hero Bill Cosby.Follow Chelsea Handler on Twitter @chelseahandler and Instagram @chelseahandlerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our final episode of the year host Matt Wilstein is joined by The Daily Beast’s Laura Bradley and Allegra Frank to share their lists of the funniest performances of 2022 across stand-up, TV, movies and more. If you’re looking for ideas about what to watch over the holidays, this episode is for you!See our full lists of the funniest performances of 2022 at The Daily Beast.Follow Allegra Frank on Twitter @LegsFrankFollow Laura Bradley on Twitter @lpbradley Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s our annual, year-end crossover episode in which Matt Wilstein joins The New Abnormal host Andy Levy to talk about Dave Chappelle inviting Elon Musk up on stage to get booed at his final tour stop of 2022, how comedians and others have responded to a rise in antisemitic rhetoric, the state of “free speech” and “cancel culture” in the comedy world and a lot more.  Follow Andy Levy on Twitter @andylevy Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Walter Hauser is the rare actor who can make audiences laugh hysterically and break down crying, sometimes within the same project. From early guest spots on comedies like ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ and ‘Community’ to his breakthrough roles in dramatic films like ‘I, Tonya’ and ‘Richard Jewell’ to his deeply disturbing performance as a deranged serial killer in the Apple TV+ series ‘Black Bird,’ Hauser has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with as a performer. But as he reveals in this episode, it has taken a toll on his personal well being. We get into all of it, including how he broke into the business by writing a movie for Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele, talking his way into a role on Tim Robinson’s ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ hitting “rock bottom” and getting sober during the filming of ‘Black Bird,’ and the Chris Farley biopic he is more ready than ever to make. Follow Paul Walter Hauser on Instagram @paulwhausergramFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the past two decades, comedian Thomas Lennon has spent more time on screen in short shorts than he could ever imagined. In this bonus episode, Lennon returns to the podcast to talk about his latest performance as Lieutenant Jim Dangle in the new holiday film ‘Reno 911!: It’s a Wonderful Heist.’ He explains why he thinks the show’s characters keep getting funnier as they age, shares the story of how he found out Steven Spielberg was a fan and looks back at the earliest days of his influential sketch group The State and the original creator of ‘Reno 911!’ Follow Thomas Lennon on Twitter @thomaslennon and Instagram @thomaspatricklennonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka can’t seem to stop blowing up on the internet. Sometimes, it’s by accident, like when she joked through an earthquake on stage, and other times more deliberately, like the Beyoncé-inspired #dropchallenge she started on TikTok with her grandmother earlier this year. Now, those fleeting moments of online attention have culminated in her explosive new HBO stand-up special ‘The Intruder.’ In this episode, Okatsuka opens up about her often difficult journey from Taiwan to Japan to Los Angeles all before the age of 10, how she has managed to turn those challenges into her own unique brand of joy-filled comedy and how her grandma really feels about her own viral fame. Follow Atsuko Okatsuka on Twitter @AtsukoComedy and Instagram @atsukocomedyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Papa has to be considered one of the least controversial comedians working today. And yet, as he explains in his return to the podcast for this bonus episode, even he has been subjected to “cancel culture” for a past joke that was considered culturally insensitive. The veteran stand-up comic, whose latest hour-long special ‘What a Day!’ premieres on Netflix next Tuesday, December 13th, reveals the gig he lost out on and why more famous comedians may be able to evade similar fates. He also breaks down how his wife, teenage daughters and elderly parents feel about being the target of his jokes and teases a new bit about meeting your heroes that just might end up in his next hour. Follow Tom Papa on Twitter @tompapa and Instagram @tompapaFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sebastian Maniscalco is consistently one of the highest-grossing stand-up comedians in the country. And now, with a new Netflix special ‘Is It Me?’ and upcoming autobiographical movie ‘About My Father’ co-starring Robert De Niro, he’s about to finally become a household name. In this episode, Maniscalco opens up about doubling down on nostalgia and (mostly) avoiding controversy in his new special. He also talks about how the comedy world has changed for better and worse since he got his start in the late ‘90s, shares stories from the sets of ‘Green Book’ and ‘The Irishman’ and explains how he decided to embrace the most embarrassing moment of his career on Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show.’Follow Sebasian Maniscalco on Twitter @SebastianComedy and Instagram @sebastiancomedyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Rogers can’t quite believe the year he’s had. From his first regular TV role on Showtime’s ‘I Love That for You’ to his scene-stealing work in the Hulu movie ‘Fire Island,’ the Long Island-born comedian has seemingly been everywhere in 2022. And it all culminates this December with his big holiday special ‘Have You Heard of Christmas?’ In this episode, Rogers talks about how unofficial “Queen of Christmas” Mariah Carey inspired him to become a Christmas prince and why the tears streaming down his face at the end of the performance are very real. He also shares his unfiltered thoughts about the way ‘Fire Island’ and Billy Eichner’s ‘Bros’ were pitted against each other as the year’s two gay rom-coms and opens up about what it has been like for him to watch his best friend and Las Culturistas co-host Bowen Yang become an SNL star.Follow Matt Rogers on Instagram @mattrogersthoFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Patton Oswalt’s role as a desperate father who ends up impersonating a beautiful woman on social media to catfish his troubled son in the new film ‘I Love My Dad’ just might make him the perfect person to weigh in on Elon Musk’s crackdown on Twitter parody. In his return to the podcast, Oswalt talks about finding the humanity in his “monstrous” character and why he will never pay $8 a month for a blue checkmark. The elder statesman of comedy also breaks down the bit from his most recent Netflix special ‘We All Scream’ about realizing he won’t be “woke” forever and shares what he learned from the backlash he received for simply posting a photo of himself with friend Dave Chappelle. Follow Patton Oswalt on Twitter @pattonoswalt and Instagram @pattonoswaltFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neal Brennan has always felt like an “outlier” in the comedy world. He’s a successful stand-up who’s still best known for co-creating ‘Chappelle’s Show’ and as he jokes in his latest special ‘Blocks’ on Netflix, he’s often the least famous comedian in a room that contains some of the biggest comedy stars on the planet. In this episode, taped before Dave Chappelle’s most recent SNL monologue, Brennan talks about trying to get to the bottom of what’s “wrong” with him on stage, why he still thinks the “old Kanye” is still in there somewhere and what he’s learned helping others comics achieve some of the greatest work. He also goes deep on the origins of his creative partnership with Chappelle and shares his thoughts on the controversies that have consumed his friend in recent years. Get tickets for Neal Brennan’s upcoming stand-up tour at nealbrennan.comFollow Neal Brennan on Twitter @nealbrennan and Instagram @nealbrennanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Natasha Leggero doesn’t think she’ll ever make a Netflix special about her daughter. So instead, she wrote a laugh-out-loud hilarious book about what it has been like to become her mother. In this bonus episode, Leggero returns to the podcast to talk about the cathartic process of writing her new book, ‘The World Deserves My Children.’ She also breaks down how much her parenting style differs from husband and fellow stand-up comic Moshe Kasher and opens up about how motherhood has affected everything from her career to the way she sees the world.Buy ‘The World Deserves My Children’ on AmazonFollow Natasha Leggero on Twitter @natashaleggero and Instagram @natashaleggeroFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was never Chris Redd’s dream to be on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ And yet the rapper-turned-comedian seemed to just be hitting his stride on that show when it was abruptly announced less than two weeks before the 48th season premiere that he was leaving the cast. In this episode, the comedian unpacks the mysterious circumstances surrounding his departure and talks about grabbing the spotlight for himself in his new HBO Max stand-up special ‘Why Am I Like This?’ Redd also shares the gory details from the attack outside of the Comedy Cellar in New York that recently landed him in the hospital and weighs in on the controversy surrounding Kanye West, who he memorably portrayed on SNL and was apparently not a fan of his impression. Follow Chris Redd on Twitter @Reddsaidit and Instagram @chrisreddisFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our upcoming episode with Chris Redd, dropping next Tuesday, the comedian and recent SNL alum opens up about the brutal attack outside of the Comedy Cellar in New York that left him bloodied and landed him in the hospital last week.  Subscribe to The Last Laugh now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, November 8th.  Follow Chris Redd on Twitter @Reddsaidit and Instagram @chrisreddisFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Kroll is an actor, stand-up comedian and co-creator of one of the funniest shows on television, ‘Big Mouth.’ Season six of the Emmy-nominated animated series just dropped on Netflix and Kroll joins us to talk all about how it continues to push the envelope and how its themes led to his first real hour of stand-up, ‘Little Big Boy,’ also streaming on Netflix. He also explains why so-called “woke culture” has never stopped him from getting away with “crazy shit” on screen, shares the story of auditioning for SNL alongside John Mulaney, teases the ‘Big Mouth’ spinoff show ‘Human Resources’ and a lot more.This episode was originally published on October 22, 2019 Follow Nick Kroll on Twitter @nickkroll and Instagram @nickkrollFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Fortune Feimster has had an incredibly busy two years. And she put as much of it as she could fit in her new Netflix stand-up special ‘Good Fortune.’ In this bonus episode, Feimster returns to the podcast to discuss how she wanted to move past her coming out story in her second Netflix hour, explain why she decided to respond to a particularly “nasty” Instagram message on stage and share stories from the set of the upcoming action series in which she co-stars with Arnold Schwazenegger. Follow Fortune Feimster on Twitter @FortuneFeimster and Instagram @fortunefeimsterFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melissa Villaseñor was among the eight cast members to leave ‘Saturday Night Live’ after its most recent season. And in this episode, she opens up for the first time about everything that led her to the difficult decision to step away from the show that had become her home for the past six years. The comedian and author of the new book ‘Whoops… I’m Awesome’ also talks about how she got her start doing celebrity impressions on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ looks back at the most surreal highlights from her time on SNL and shares some thoughts about what she wants to do with her life now that she has left that high pressure job behind. Follow Melissa Villaseñor on Twitter @melissavcomedy and Instagram @melissavcomedyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodBuy ‘Whoops… I’m Awesome: A Workbook with Activities, Art, and Stories for Embracing Your Wonderfully Awesome Self’ Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Trevor Noah announced he would be stepping down as host of ‘The Daily Show,’ he cited a conversation with Roy Wood Jr. as part of what made him decide it was time to move on. In his return to the podcast, the longtime ‘Daily Show’ correspondent, who started the same day as Noah, talks about this huge moment of transition for the show and addresses the speculation that he is on the short list to take over as host. Wood also opens up about how Jerrod Carmichael’s ‘Rothaniel’ special lit a fire under him to put out his own deeply personal hour of stand-up and previews how he might cover Herschel Walker when ‘The Daily Show’ travels to Atlanta for the midterms. Follow Roy Wood Jr. on Twitter @roywoodjr and Instagram @roywoodjrFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It wasn’t until Judy Greer had more or less given up on becoming a Hollywood star that it finally started to happen for her. The perennial “best friend” in early aughts rom-coms like ‘13 Going on 30’ and ‘The Wedding Planner’ has spent the past few years popping up in huge franchise films like ‘Ant-Man,’ ‘Jurassic World’ and this month’s ‘Halloween Ends.’ Now, she is the co-lead—and the funniest part—of Hulu’s high-profile meta-sitcom ‘Reboot.’ In this episode, Greer opens up about her uniquely prolific career and explains why she no longer covets the type of massive fame she once desired. She also reflects on her big breakthrough comedy role on ‘Arrested Development’ and shares her reaction to the ugly drama behind the scenes.Follow Judy Greer on Twitter @missjudygreer and Instagram @missjudygreerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hasan Minhaj has had a very busy five years between the release of his first big stand-up special ‘Homecoming King’ in 2017 and the premiere this week of his new hour The King’s Jester on Netflix. The former ‘Daily Show’ correspondent roasted Trump in absentia at the White House Correspondents Dinner, launched and ended his weekly Netflix series ‘Patriot Act’ and found himself in the crosshairs of the Saudis for his unflinching criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. All of it and more form the heart of his new special, which Minhaj discusses at length in this episode. The comedian also opens up about the moment he realized he may have crossed a line with his comedy, reveals an elaborate prank he pitched to Nathan Fielder, addresses the accusations of a toxic work environment at ‘Patriot Act’ and a lot more.  Follow Hasan Minhaj on Twitter @hasanminhaj and Instagram @hasanminhajFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jena Friedman is a former ‘Daily Show’ field producer, an uncompromising stand-up comedian and, as of this past year, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter for ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.’ Now, she is headlining her own hour-long stand-up special ‘Ladykiller’ on Peacock and taking on the true crime industrial complex as the host of ‘Indefensible,’ which premieres its second season on SundanceTV and AMC+ next month. In her second appearance on the podcast, Friedman talks about exposing “crisis pregnancy centers” in ‘Borat,’ weighs in on “Missing White Woman Syndrome,” and shares her thoughts on the death of John McAfee, with whom she conducted the definitive interview for her previous show ‘Soft Focus.’This episode was originally published on October 12, 2021 Read Matt Wilstein’s review of Jena Friedman’s new special ‘Ladykiller’ Follow Jena Friedman on Twitter @JenaFriedman and Instagram @jenafriedmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Sheng Wang has spent much of his comedy career trying to hide in plain sight. Now, thanks to a boost from his longtime friend and colleague Ali Wong, he is reluctantly stepping into the spotlight. In this episode, Wang opens up about everything that led to his first hour-long stand-up special ‘Sweet and Juicy,’ which premiered on Netflix earlier this month and also marks Wong’s directorial debut. He breaks down how seeing the late, great Mitch Hedberg perform forever changed the way he thought about comedy and tells stories about getting judged by Norm Macdonald on ‘Last Comic Standing,’ channeling his own childhood as a writer on ‘Fresh Off the Boat,’ the origins of his most famous bit about ripe avocados and more. Follow Sheng Wang on Twitter @shengwangtime and Instagram @shengwangtimeFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alison Brie had one of the luckiest big breaks in the history of television. Before the age of 30, she managed to simultaneously co-star on TV’s most celebrated drama (‘Mad Men’) and most obsessed over comedy (‘Community’) before the age of 30. In the seven years since those two shows ended their iconic runs, she has gone toe-to-toe with both comedy stars like Will Ferrell and acting legends like Meryl Streep on the big screen and rose to the top of the call sheet in her beloved Netflix series ‘GLOW.’ In this episode, Brie talks about making the move to indie film screenwriting with ‘Horse Girl’ and now her Italy-set comedy ‘Spin Me Round.’ She also addresses whether fans can expect to see Chevy Chase in the eventual ‘Community’ movie, explains why she felt the need to apologize for her voice work on ‘Bojack Horseman’ and a lot more.Follow Alison Brie on Twitter @alisonbrie and Instagram @alisonbrieFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Duplass never wanted to be an actor. For years, he remained entirely behind the scenes of the intimate indie films he wrote and directed with younger brother Mark Duplass. Then, he was handed the role of Josh Pfefferman in ‘Transparent,’ which transformed his life and career more than he ever could have imagined when he still thought it was a little “web show” for Amazon. In this episode, Duplass reveals how his latest acting gig as “Mr. COVID” Jesse Bloom on HBO’s ‘Industry’ was inspired by Jeff Bezos, opens up about the difficult decision to separate from his brother professionally, explains why it would be “unthinkable” for a cis actor to play Jeffrey Tambor’s role on ‘Transparent’ today—even if that’s what viewers “needed” at the time—and a lot more. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emmy-nominated comedian and actress Natasha Rothwell talks about her very big year, from facing off with Jennifer Coolidge in ‘The White Lotus’ to stealing scenes in the final season of ‘Insecure.’ And things are only looking up from here, with two new shows in development at HBO, a third in the works with Disney-ABC and a mysterious role in the upcoming ‘Wonka’ movie starring Timothée Chalamet. In this episode, Rothwell opens up about auditioning for ‘Saturday Night Live’ as part of that show’s “clunky” search for a Black female cast member and ending up as a writer instead, getting hired as a writer on ‘Insecure’ before landing her breakout role as Kelli and returning to her dramatic roots as Belinda in ‘The White Lotus,’ a role that became very different after she was cast.    This episode was originally published on November 16, 2021 Follow Natasha Rothwell on Twitter @natasharothwell and Instagram @natasharothwellFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Dave Foley is thankful to be the narrator and not one of the subjects of Vice TV’s ‘Dark Side of Comedy’ docuseries. The co-founder of the iconic sketch group ‘Kids in the Hall,’ which premiered its long-awaited sixth reunion season on Amazon Prime Video earlier this year, had his share of life-threatening troubles before cleaning up his act and finally getting sober a few years back. In this episode, Foley talks about why so many comedians have dark backstories, traces the contentious history of ‘Kids in the Hall,’ recalls the best audition of his career for the role of Michael Scott on ‘The Office’ and reflects on working with outsized personalities like Andy Dick, Joe Rogan and Phil Hartman on ‘Newsradio.’Follow Dave Foley on Twitter @DaveSFoley and Instagram @davefoleyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon Horgan can’t seem to stop creating television shows. From ‘Pulling’ to ‘Catastrophe’ to ‘Divorce’ to ‘Motherland’ to ‘Shining Vale’ to her latest, the Apple TV+ comedy thriller ‘Bad Sisters,’ she is one of the most prolific TV showrunners in the game. In this episode, Horgan talks about going outside of her comfort zone for her new show and creating her first truly villainous character after years of writing flawed but ultimately sympathetic figures. She also reflects on how she met her ‘Catastrophe’ co-creator and co-star Rob Delaney on Twitter, remembers her final dinner with the late Carrie Fisher (who just happened to bring along Salman Rushdie) and looks ahead to the even more personal show she’s hoping to create next.  Follow Sharon Horgan on Twitter @SharonHorgan and Instagram @sharonhorganFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Scott is best known for his roles in workplace comedies like ‘Parks and Recreation’ and ‘Party Down,’ which makes him the perfect actor to subvert that genre in Ben Stiller’s new deeply disturbing workplace thriller ‘Severance.’ In this episode, Scott talks about the “mind fuck” of playing two versions of one character in the excellent new Apple TV+ series and looks back on highlights from his comedy career, from his game-changing role in ‘Step Brothers’ to his long-running stint on ‘Parks and Rec’ and a lot more. This episode was originally published on February 22, 2022 Follow Adam Scott on Twitter @mradamscott and Instagram @mradamscottFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abby Elliott had been holding out for a role like Sugar on a show like ‘The Bear.’ Despite four mostly successful seasons on ‘Saturday Night Live’—she is still the youngest woman ever hired and the only second generation cast member, following in her father, Chris Elliott’s, footsteps—the comedian and actress struggled a bit to find her footing in Hollywood in the 10 years since was cut loose from the show. In this episode, Elliott opens up about how meaningful it has been to be part of a show that has connected with viewers so intensely and what it was like to be thrust into the cutthroat world of SNL so young—something she says she’s still working through in therapy. She also reveals the Chicago-based actress she wants to see play Carmy and Sugar’s mother in season two of ‘The Bear’ and confirms that Jon Bernthal really is that charismatic in person. Follow Abby Elliott on Twitter @elliottdotabby and Instagram @lilcutieforeverFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s the difference between challenging stereotypes and perpetuating those same stereotypes? That’s just one of the many questions international comedy superstar Jo Koy tries to get to the bottom of on this episode. Koy talks about putting the jokes aside to deal with the harsh realities of his childhood as a half-Filipino, half-white kid in his new memoir ‘Mixed Plate’ and breaks down how he forged his own comedy path, refusing to take no as an answer from Netflix and gaining Steven Spielberg, who’s producing a new movie based on his life, as a fan. He also tells stories about turning down the chance to be Chelsea Handler’s sidekick and shares his reaction to mentor Jay Leno’s recent apology for decades of anti-Asian jokes. This episode was originally published on April 6th, 2021 Buy ‘Mixed Plate’ on Amazon Follow Jo Koy on Twitter @Jokoy and Instagram @jokoyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before D’Arcy Carden landed the role of a lifetime as Janet on ‘The Good Place,’ she was starting to worry her comedy career might never take off. And yet, in the less than six years since that show premiered on NBC, she has earned an Emmy nomination, appeared with her former babysitting boss Bill Hader on ‘Barry’ and is now about to star opposite her best friend Abbi Jacobson in a high-profile reimagining of ‘A League of Their Own’ on Amazon Prime Video. In this episode, Carden opens up about how she turned things around and expresses her shock and disappointment at her ‘Barry’ co-star Sarah Goldberg’s Emmy snub. She also reminisces about the early days of UCB, shares the important lesson she learned about screen acting during her first TV gig on ‘Broad City’ and recalls the demoralizing experience of being an extra on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Follow D’Arcy Carden on Twitter @DarcyCarden and Instagram @darcycardenFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henry Winker has repeatedly doubted himself throughout his long and storied career. From landing the coveted role of Arthur Fonzarelli on ‘Happy Days’ to winning his first Emmy Award for playing Gene Cousineau on Bill Hader’s ‘Barry,’ the beloved actor has struggled to overcome what only became known as “imposter syndrome” in recent years. “I invented the syndrome!” Winkler says in this week’s episode. On the heels of his third consecutive Emmy nomination for ‘Barry,’ we break down that show’s “intense” season finale. Winkler also tells stories about his struggles to find work after The Fonz, explains how Adam Sandler helped revive his comedy career, reveals why he turned down hosting SNL, recalls his funniest line from ‘Arrested Development’ and so much more. Follow Henry Winkler on Twitter @hwinkler4realFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desus Nice and The Kid Mero—who officially announced this week that they will be “pursuing separate creative endeavors moving forward”—join The Last Laugh podcast to talk about launching their Showtime late-night series Desus & Mero. We get into their close relationship with fellow Bronx-native Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, why they viewed their show as an “escape” from the “dumpster fire that is America,” their unlikely Twitter feud with Taylor Swift fans and a lot more. This episode was originally published on August 27th, 2019. Follow Desus Nice on Twitter @desusnice and Instagram @desusniceFollow The Kid Mero on Twitter @THEKIDMERO and Instagram @thekidmeroFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Gabrus didn’t realize he had spent his entire comedy career preparing to travel around the country getting wasted and being hilarious on camera. But that’s exactly what he has ended up doing, along with his best friend and co-host Adam Pally, in their new truTV series ‘101 Places to Party Before You Die.’ In this episode, Gabrus talks about landing his “dream job” as a travel host and explains why the “before you die” in the show’s title resonates with him so deeply. He also talks about the origins of his incompetent intern character Gino Lombardo on the Comedy Bang Bang podcast, tells the story of his embarrassingly terrible ‘Veep’ audition in front of his comedy crush Julia-Louis Dreyfus and reveals why he once quit smoking pot in hopes of joining the FBI. Follow Jon Gabrus on Twitter @Gabrus and Instagram @gabrusFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nikki Glaser is a world-class stand-up comedian, a ruthless celebrity roaster and an endlessly engaging daily podcaster. Now, she’s also a reality TV star thanks to her new gig hosting the deliberately absurd dating show ‘FBoy Island’ on HBO Max (which returned for its second season this week). In this episode, Glaser talks about how she landed her dream job after “embarrassing” herself on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ shares her unvarnished opinions on thorny issues like body image and cancel culture and reveals some wild behind-the-scenes stories about roasting Ann Coulter, Alec Baldwin, Caitlyn Jenner, Blake Griffin, Jeff Ross and more. Check out Nikki Glaser’s new hour-long stand-up special ‘Good Clean Filth,’ premiering on HBO this Saturday night, July 16th, at 10pm and streaming on HBO Max after that.This episode was originally published on July 27th, 2021. Follow Nikki Glaser on Twitter @NikkiGlaser and Instagram @nikkiglaserFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you only know Tim Heidecker as one half of ‘Tim and Eric’ with his longtime comedy partner Eric Wareheim, you are missing a lot. The comedian, musician and ‘Office Hours’ host just set out on a big summer tour in which his meta “no more bullshit” stand-up character shares the bill with the “real” Tim playing music from his new album ‘High School.’ In this episode, Heidecker holds nothing back going after Joe Rogan (“so boring”), Dave Chappelle (“a leader in the anti-trans movement”) and Jim Breuer (“a tremendous inspiration”). We also look back at the early days of ‘Tim and Eric,’ from Bob Odenkirk’s role in bringing the duo’s comedy to Adult Swim to that time Gary Busey almost assaulted them during a taping. And Heidecker explains why having the freedom to explore his own solo projects has been the “key to not having a bad break-up” with Wareheim. Stream Tim Heidecker’s new album ‘High School’Tour dates and tickets at TimHeidecker.comFollow Tim Heidecker on Twitter @timheidecker and Instagram @timheideckerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1997, Robert Smigel put a dog puppet on his hand, started making poop jokes in a thick Russian accent and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was born. 25 years later, he’s still going strong. In this rare long form conversation, Smigel talks about how he pulls off his epic confrontations of politicians like Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham. He also opens up about his time writing for Conan O’Brien, ‘The Dana Carvey Show’ and SNL, where he created ‘TV Funhouse’ and ‘The Ambiguously Gay Duo’—an animated sketch he readily admits would not work today. Robert explains why his eventual exit from SNL was “not pretty” and weighs in on Alec Baldwin’s “easy” satirical take on Donald Trump.This episode was originally published on June 30th, 2020.Follow Robert Smigel on Twitter @TriumphICDHQ and Instagram @triumphicdhqFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Cooper became famous using only her face to lip-sync Donald Trump. Now, in her new audiobook, all she has to work with is her voice. In her return to the podcast, Cooper reflects on the “craziest” few years of her life, from having “no idea” what she was doing on her own Netflix special to guest-hosting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ before ever performing stand-up on TV to landing a role in her comedy hero Jerry Seinfeld’s upcoming Pop-Tart movie ‘Unfrosted.’ Cooper also reveals the right-wing politician she recently tried lip-syncing and why she will “never” imitate Donald Trump again. Follow Sarah Cooper on Twitter @sarahcpr and Instagram @sarahcprFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Listen to Let’s Catch Up Soon: How I Won Friends and Influenced People Against My Will Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Kim Booster likes to play the “hot idiot” on stage. But as you will quickly learn by listening to this episode, he is actually quite insightful when it comes to the unique challenges he has faced on his path to becoming one of the funniest young comedians working today. In this conversation, the writer and star of Hulu’s ‘Fire Island’—previously titled ‘Trip’—opens up about growing up with his adoptive Evangelical Christian family, how he gave up self-deprecation to embrace over-confidence and why there hasn’t been a gay male stand-up comedy superstar on the level of Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes or Tig Notaro. This episode was originally published on June 1st, 2021.Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and Instagram @ihatejoelkimFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we lived in a just world, Kate Berlant and John Early would be the most famous and successful comedy team on the planet. So that’s the reality they manifested for themselves in their new Peacock special ‘Would It Kill You to Laugh?’ In this episode, the pair reveal how they got Meredith Vieira to host their emotional reunion after an imagined falling out and look back on their years as “chief collaborators” from the early videos that took off on YouTube to their breakthrough performances in Netflix’s ‘The Characters.’ Later, Early shares how “surprising” it was to dive deep into Elliott over five seasons of ‘Search Party,’ Berlant explains why she had to reel in her comedic instincts on the set of Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ and so much more. Follow Kate Berlant on Twitter @kateberlant and Instagram @kateberlantFollow John Early on Twitter @bejohnce and Instagram @bejohnceFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others a The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Forte is the king of second chances, whether it was getting another shot at ‘Saturday Night Live’ after turning down Lorne Michaels or reviving his now iconic character MacGruber on Peacock after the 2010 movie bombed at the box office. In this episode, Forte breaks down how he overcame his SNL fears to deliver some of the show’s weirdest and funniest sketches and shares behind-the-scenes details of MacGruber’s full journey from one-off sketch to Super Bowl commercial to cult classic. He also opens up about his regrets around replacing Will Ferrell as George W. Bush on SNL and shares stories from filming his hilarious cameo on fellow SNL alum Tim Robinson’s ‘I Think You Should Leave’ and that time he ended up on a private jet with comedy hero Steve Martin. Follow Will Forte on Twitter @orvilleiv and Instagram @orvivFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Parnell is the only cast member to ever be fired twice from ‘Saturday Night Live.’ And as he explains in this episode, it was only after Lorne Michaels admitted his mistake and brought him back into the fold that he really started to take off on the show. During our conversation, Parnell also opens up about why he may have never decided to leave SNL on his own and breaks down highlights from his prolific career since, including iconic roles as Dr. Spaceman on ‘30 Rock’ the “poop mouth” guy in ‘Anchorman’ and Rebel Wilson’s dad in the new Netflix movie ‘Senior Year,’ as well as his brilliant animation voiceover work as Cyril Figgis on ‘Archer’ and Jerry Smith on ‘Rick and Morty.’ Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From her breakthrough performance as Mel the stalker on ‘Flight of the Conchords,’ to her long-running gig as the voice of fourth-grader Louise Belcher on ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ which just premiered its first big screen movie in theaters this past weekend, Kristen Schaal never fails to bring a unique energy to the screen. And it all begins with her unmistakable voice. In this episode, Schaal looks back on her winding road from alt-comedy darling to mainstream children’s TV star, including detours writing for ‘South Park,’ serving as the “Senior Women’s Issues Correspondent” on ‘The Daily Show’ and getting a well-deserved Emmy nomination for—what else?—her voice-over work on ‘Bojack Horseman.’This episode was originally published on August 3rd, 2021.Follow Kristen Schaal on Twitter @kristenschaaled and Instagram @k.schaalFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Akiva Schaffer prefers to stay behind the scenes. But that doesn’t mean he’s any less funny than his Lonely Island bandmates Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. The three middle school best friends started shooting videos right out of college before landing a plush gig making digital shorts for ‘Saturday Night Live,’ including hits like “Lazy Sunday,” “Dick in a Box,” “Jizz in My Pants” and many others. In this episode, Schaffer talks about their unusual path to SNL and how directing outrageous movies like ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ led him to take on a meta ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers’ reboot for Disney+ starring Samberg and John Mulaney. He also explains why he might be single handedly responsible for Netflix deciding to pull the trigger on ‘I Think You Should Leave’ with Tim Robinson. Follow The Lonely Island on Twitter @thelonelyisland and Instagram @thelonelyislandFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know Mary Lynn Rajskub’s face even if you don’t necessarily recognize her name. That conflict is at the center of her new book of essays about an unconventional career that started with cult comedies like ‘Mr. Show’ and ‘Larry Sanders’ and took an unexpected swerve into drama with her role as Chloe O’Brian on Fox’s ‘24.’ In this episode, Rajskub shares wild stories from her Hollywood journey, including what she learned about acting from Garry Shandling, her make-out scene with Tom Cruise that was cut out of ‘Magnolia,’ the origins of her Gail the Snail character on ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,’ a very public unwanted kiss from Rush Limbaugh and why she’s “not sure what happened” to her insurrectionist co-star Jay Johnston.Follow Mary Lynn Rajskub on Twitter @MaryLynnRajskub and Instagram @marylynnrajskubFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodBuy Fame-ish: My Life at the Edge of StardomHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most influential comedy voices of her generation, Jessi Klein spent years working as a development executive at Comedy Central before making the leap to stand-up, SNL and then head writer for ‘Inside Amy Schumer.’ Now, in addition to her long-running role as the angsty tween Jessi on ‘Big Mouth,’ Klein has taken on the role of showrunner for ‘I Love That for You,’ a new Showtime series co-created by and starring fellow SNL alum Vanessa Bayer. In this episode, Klein opens up about her unconventional road to comedy success and why SNL wasn’t the best environment for her. She also talks about her new book of essays on midlife and motherhood and tells hilarious stories about working with Amy Schumer, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon and more. Follow Jessi Klein on Twitter @jessirklein and Instagram @youracquaintancejessikleinFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodBuy I’ll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and MotherhoodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly three decades after starring in the first major sitcom to center on an Asian-American family, Margaret Cho is more “hopeful” than ever about the opportunities for Asian-American comedians. In this episode, Cho talks about how she would approach that sitcom differently today and tells stories about dating director Quentin Tarantino and acting opposite Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. She also weighs in on Dave Chappelle’s jokes about the bisexual community and reflects on the backlash she received after portraying an exaggerated North Korean character alongside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes.Get tickets to see Margaret Cho perform live at Netflix Is a Joke FestThis episode was originally published on November 19th, 2019.Follow Margaret Cho on Twitter @margaretcho and Instagram @margaret_choFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since breaking through as a correspondent on ‘The Daily Show’ in 2015, Ronny Chieng has continued to prove himself to be one of the funniest stand-up comics in the game. Now, he is back with a second hour-long special on Netflix called ‘Speakeasy’ that takes on everything from anti-science podcasters to the myth of “cancel culture.” In this episode, Chieng talks about pushing the envelope without fear of the consequences, breaks down how Trevor Noah changed his life, takes down his favorite “piece of shit” Fox News host Jesse Watters and a lot more. Follow Ronny Chieng on Twitter @ronnychieng and Instagram @ronnychieng Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodGet tickets to see Ronny Chieng at Netflix Is a Joke FestHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Birbiglia is currently working out his latest one-person show ‘The Old Man and the Pool,’ including a stop at this coming week’s Netflix Is a Joke Fest. But before he went on stage for one of his final performances of ‘The New One’ in Los Angeles, Mike Birbiglia opened up about his unique process putting that show together and broke down his evolution from stand-up to theater—and why he doesn’t care how anyone wants to characterize what he does. We also discussed the state of “offensive” jokes, what he learned about telling stories from ‘This American Life’ host Ira Glass and our mutual, unhealthy obsession with ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Get tickets to see Mike Birbiglia perform live at Netflix Is a Joke FestThis episode was originally published on November 26th, 2019.Follow Mike Birbiglia on Twitter @birbigs and Instagram @birbigsFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Hader is well known as the most generous “laugher” in comedy. But when he’s talking about his increasingly dark HBO series ‘Barry,’ those laughs come with a razor sharp edge. In this episode, the ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum goes deep on the “dumb idea” that fuels his hitman character in the long-awaited third season and reflects on his anxiety-filled SNL experience, why he and John Mulaney never made that rumored Stefon movie, the specific genius of ‘Documentary Now!’ and why he couldn’t stop laughing at Paul Rudd’s final ‘Mac and Me’ prank on the final week of ‘Conan.’ Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rhea Seehorn may be best known for playing the very serious Kim Wexler opposite Bob Odenkirk on ‘Better Call Saul,’ which premiered its highly anticipated final season this week. But for the first 15 years or so of her acting career, she couldn’t break out of the “sitcom” box. In this episode, the actress opens up about getting “pigeonholed” in the comedy world, fighting to get the role that transformed her career, and then proving that she can still be hilarious by going toe-to-toe with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on ‘Veep.’ Plus, Seehorn teases season six of ‘Better Call Saul,’ including what it’s been like to have Bob Odenkirk back on set after his heart attack, how she feels about Tony Dalton’s Lalo surviving last season’s finale and what those finger guns were all about.  Vote for ‘The Last Laugh’ at The Webby Awards Follow Rhea Seehorn on Twitter @rheaseehorn and Instagram @rheaseehornFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod This episode was originally published on October 1st, 2021. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig Robinson spent years stealing scenes in movies like ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘Pineapple Express,’ and ‘This Is the End’ and on TV—most memorably as Darryl on ‘The Office’—before scoring his first major lead role in ‘Killing It,’ a new streaming series that lands on Peacock this week. In this episode, Robinson talks about the challenges of working with live snakes in the new show and looks back on highlights from his career, including trying not to laugh opposite Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, why he’s glad he didn’t know Leslie Mann was Judd Apatow’s wife while filming ‘Knocked Up,’ singing a duet with Rihanna in ‘This Is the End’ and a lot more.Vote for ‘The Last Laugh’ at The Webby Awards Follow Craig Robinson on Twitter @MrCraigRobinson and Instagram @mrcraigrobinsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has now been more than 20 years since Stephen Merchant and his comedy partner Ricky Gervais changed TV comedy forever with their original British version of ‘The Office.’ Now, after co-starring with Gervais in ‘Extras’ and creating his own HBO comedy series ‘Hello Ladies,’ Merchant is back with ‘The Outlaws,’ a surprisingly intense crime thriller—with plenty of laughs throughout—that co-stars Christopher Walken and just landed on Amazon Prime Video. In this episode, Merchant talks about creating that series with an ex-convict and how they got Walken to paint over an original Banksy piece in the finale. He also tells stories about the early days of ‘The Office,’ what he thought about the even more successful American version, his complicated relationship with Gervais and a lot more. Follow Stephen Merchant on Twitter @StephenMerchant and Instagram @stephenmerchantFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Judd Apatow has spent much of his career trying to illuminate the deep emotional core of humankind through comedy. Now, after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, he just wants to “make people happy.” In a return appearance for the 150th episode of this podcast—taped before everything that went down at the Oscars—Apatow talks about why he decided to go for “hard jokes” in his new Netflix movie ‘The Bubble’ and shares his unvarnished thoughts on everything from his daughter Maude’s performance on ‘Euphoria’ to the Pete Davidson-Kanye West feud to his upcoming George Carlin documentary to his comedian friends who “can’t handle” criticism and a lot more.Follow Judd Apatow on Twitter @juddapatow and Instagram @juddapatowFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Buy Judd Apatow’s new book ‘Sicker in the Head: More Conversations About Life and Comedy’Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our 150th episode featuring the return of Judd Apatow, dropping next Tuesday, the director of ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘This Is 40,’ and the upcoming ‘The Bubble’ on Netflix addresses all of those ‘Euphoria’ fans who just found out that star Maude Apatow has “some director” father. Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, March 29th.  Follow Judd Apatow on Twitter @juddapatow and Instagram @juddapatowFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Buy Judd Apatow’s new book ‘Sicker in the Head: More Conversations About Life and Comedy’Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After bursting onto the comedy scene at just 14 years old nearly two decades ago as George Michael Bluth on ‘Arrested Development’—followed by the box office hit ‘Superbad’ and Best Picture nominee ‘Juno’ in quick succession—Michael Cera has been laying pretty low of late. So his latest gig as Amy Schumer’s love interest in the comedian’s new semi-autobiographical Hulu series ‘Life & Beth’ is kind of a big deal. In this episode, Cera explains why he said yes to his first regular TV role since ‘Arrested Development’ and opens up about how he “freaked out” when he suddenly became super famous at such a young age. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From his breakthrough gig as a writer for Netflix’s ‘Big Mouth’ to his breakout role as Walter the Lovebug on the new spin-off ‘Human Resources,’ Brandon Kyle Goodman has a lot to say about what it means to be Black and gender-nonconforming in comedy right now. In this bonus episode, Goodman opens up about how he knew his only path to pop culture success would be writing for himself, reveals how his own coming out story came to life on ‘Big Mouth’ and shares his reaction to Netflix’s handling of the Dave Chappelle debacle. Follow Brandon Kyle Goodman on Twitter @brandonkgood and Instagram @brandonkylegoodmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The pandemic was so long I transitioned,” River Butcher jokes near the top of his impressive new half-hour special ‘A Different Kind of Dude.’ It’s the comedian’s way of reintroducing himself to the comedy world and addressing the reality of his personal evolution since breaking into the stand-up scene nearly a decade ago. In this episode, Butcher discusses the unique challenges of being a trans comic in a moment of widespread anti-trans comedy and breaks down how he uses humor to combat hate. Butcher also opens up about his public divorce from longtime comedy partner Cameron Esposito and what it was like to be one of the only comedians to ever perform stand-up on ‘Ellen.’ Follow River Butcher on Twitter @rivbutcher and Instagram @rivbutcherFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Stream ‘River Butcher: A Different Kind of Dude’ on YouTube Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taylor Tomlinson started performing stand-up at church shows when she was just 16 years old. Still just 28 years old, she is one of the fastest rising stars in the comedy scene, premiering her first hour-long special “Quarter-Life Crisis’ on Netflix in March of 2020 and now dropping her second Netflix hour ‘Look at You’ this week. As Tomlinson breaks down in this episode, she had to make a hard break from her religious upbringing to be accepted into the mainstream comedy world, trading in her “clean” material for jokes with a “darker” edge.  Follow Taylor Tomlinson on Twitter @taylortomlinson and Instagram @taylortomlinsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod This episode was originally published on September 28th, 2021. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From his early days as Murray the manager on ‘Flight of the Conchords’ to his latest role as the “gentleman pirate” in Taika Waititi’s new HBO Max series ‘Our Flag Means Death,’ comedian Rhys Darby has never stopped being the funniest part of whatever he’s doing. In this episode, the New Zealander talks about how he first hooked up with Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, how he felt when they decided to end their seminal HBO show after just two seasons and whether he can imagine a reboot down the line. We also get into what it was like to star opposite Jim Carrey in his first movie, hilarious stories about his failed auditions for dramas like ‘Westworld’ and ‘True Detective’ and a lot more. Follow Rhys Darby on Twitter @rhysiedarby and Instagram @rhysiedarbyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Nick Offerman joins forces with his wife, Megan Mullally, to co-host the Independent Spirit Awards this Sunday, March 6th on IFC, the star of ‘Parks and Recreation’ and ‘Devs’ returns to the podcast to chat about what it takes to be a good award show host and what he makes of the Oscars’ oddly lax vaccination requirements. We also get into his incredible performance as a sleazeball pornographer on ‘Pam & Tommy’ and his latest venture into the world of Substack with “Donkey Thoughts.”Follow Nick Offerman on Twitter @Nick_Offerman and Instagram @nickoffermanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aparna Nancherla is one of the most accomplished and well-respected stand-up comedians of her generation. But she has spent most of the past two years off stage, recording voiceover work and writing a book about imposter syndrome, the kind of “showbiz activities,” as she put it, that can be done in a “cave.” In this episode, Nancherla opens up about “commodifying” anxiety in her comedy and taking on the culture wars with her new animated Comedy Central series ‘Fairview.’ She also shares why it was so hard to write jokes for Seth Meyers, why it was so rewarding to play Bojack Horseman’s daughter and why Joe Rogan should stop hiding behind the “I’m just a comedian” defense.Follow Aparna Nancherla on Twitter @aparnapkin and Instagram @aparnapkinFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pamela Adlon has had to reinvent herself several times over the course of her unconventional career. From child star (‘Grease 2’) to Emmy-winning voice actor (‘King of the Hill’) to creator and showrunner of her own phenomenal autobiographical series ‘Better Things,’ which premieres its fifth and final season on FX this coming Monday, February 28th. In this episode, we talk about all of that and more, including her audition for ‘Friends,’ a darkly hilarious story about Redd Foxx and why she’s still “proud” of the work she did on ‘Louie.’ Follow Pamela Adlon on Twitter @pamelaadlon and Instagram @pamelaadlonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  This episode was originally published on February 25th, 2020. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Scott is best known for his roles in workplace comedies like ‘Parks and Recreation’ and ‘Party Down,’ which makes him the perfect actor to subvert that genre in Ben Stiller’s new deeply disturbing workplace thriller ‘Severance.’ In this episode, Scott talks about the “mind fuck” of playing two versions of one character in the excellent new Apple TV+ series and looks back on highlights from his comedy career, from his game-changing role in ‘Step Brothers’ to his long-running stint on ‘Parks and Rec’ and a lot more.Follow Adam Scott on Twitter @mradamscott and Instagram @mradamscottFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our next episode with Adam Scott, dropping next Tuesday, the star of ‘Parks and Recreation’ and the new Apple TV+ series ‘Severance’ teases the long-awaited third season of ‘Party Down,’ which is returning to Starz 12 years after it was canceled.  Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, February 22nd.  Follow Adam Scott on Twitter @mradamscott and Instagram @mradamscottFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Richardson’s first two professional acting gigs were on ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘The Office.’ And he has never stopped rising the ranks of the comedy world since, from what was supposed to be a one-episode guest spot as Richard Splett on ‘Veep’ to his first real TV leading role on Apple TV+’s new murder mystery comedy ‘The Afterparty.’ In this episode, Richardson talks about collaborating with his former improv teacher Tim Robinson on the brilliantly funny ‘Detroiters’ and ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ how he ended up channeling his Ghanaian heritage on ‘Ted Lasso’ and how it felt to be called “his generation’s Tom Hanks” by one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood.Follow Sam Richardson on Twitter @SamRichardson and Instagram @thesamrichardsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martha Kelly spent close to two decades as a semi-successful, hilariously deadpan stand-up comedian before her friend Zach Galifianakis called her up out of nowhere and asked her to play one of the main roles on his beloved FX series ‘Baskets.’ It was that opportunity that led directly to her most powerful performance to date as Laurie, the dangerously deadpan drug dealer who holds the fate of Zendaya’s Rue in her hands on HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’ In this bonus episode, Kelly opens up for the first time about how the “intimidating” part fell in her lap, why she seriously considered saying no and how her own experience as an addict impacted her performance. She also shares stories about how her comedy career evolved after getting sober, acting opposite a very intense Adam Driver in ‘Marriage Story’ and the pure joy of working with the late Louie Anderson on ‘Baskets.’Follow Martha Kelly on Twitter @MarthaKelly3 and Instagram @mkellyatxFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With her raucous cabaret act, Bridget Everett has never been shy about putting all of herself out there for audiences to enjoy. But in her new semi-autobiographical series ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ which HBO has just renewed for a second season, she is laying herself bare emotionally on a whole new level. In this episode, Everett opens up about the real life trauma that helped inform her revelatory performance, what she learned about being “relatable” from a previous pilot that didn’t get picked up and shares what it was like to get back on stage for the first time in two years. She also shares hilarious stories about getting cast in the ‘Sex and the City’ movie, meeting her friend Amy Schumer for the first time and getting in the middle of an epic feud between Jerry Seinfeld and Bobcat Goldthwait. Follow Bridget Everett on Twitter @bridgeteverett and Instagram @bridgeteverettFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

W. Kamau Bell returns to the podcast to go deep on his illuminating new four-part documentary series ‘We Need to Talk About Cosby.’ And with his career as both a comedian and filmmaker on the line, he holds nothing back. This sprawling conversation covers everything from Bell’s early admiration for Bill Cosby to the shattering of those illusions when his rape allegations came to light to why he thought his big project might be dead when Cosby was suddenly released from prison last summer. We also talk about why ‘The Cosby Show’ cast members have been so reluctant to speak out against “America’s Dad,” whether Bell is able to separate the art from the artist and still appreciate Cosby as a comedian and so much more. Follow W. Kamau Bell on Twitter @wkamaubell and Instagram @wkamaubellFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our new episode with W. Kamau Bell dropping next Tuesday, the comedian and director addresses the backlash he’s already started receiving in response to his bombshell four-part documentary ‘We Need to Talk About Cosby’—before it even premieres this Sunday night on Showtime.  Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, February 1st.  Follow W. Kamau Bell on Twitter @wkamaubell and Instagram @wkamaubellFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others atThe Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before The Sex Lives of College Girls, Amrit Kaur had only appeared in a handful of Canadian dramas. Hand-picked by Mindy Kaling to play Bela, a sex-positive, comedy-obsessed version of her younger self, Kaur defied both South Asian stereotypes and immigration laws to deliver one of the funniest performances of the past year. In this episode, we talk about her unlikely audition process, studying stand-up comedy to nail her character’s comic timing, what it was like to meet Kaling for the first time on set, how her conservative Indian parents reacted to the show’s more scandalous moments and more. Follow Amrit Kaur on Twitter @AmritKaur and Instagram @amritkaurFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his first hour-long stand-up special ‘Trash White,’ comedian Moses Storm describes himself as going “from the dumpster to HBO Max.” But as he explains in this week’s episode, his real story is even darker, which makes his ability to find so much humor in it all the more remarkable. During our conversation, Storm breaks down how comedy became his only way out of extreme poverty and why he pushes back when privileged audience members have tried to tell him it’s offensive to use the word “homeless.” He also reveals how the late Bob Saget ended up appearing in his new special, how Conan O’Brien changed his life overnight and a lot more. Follow Moses Storm on Twitter @MosesStorm and Instagram @mosesstormFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a fiery new half-hour special as part of Netflix’s ‘The Standups’ series, Naomi Ekperigin is more ready than ever to achieve that next level of comedy success. And she does it all while remaining far more “thoughtful” about how her jokes affect the audience than many of her anti-woke peers. It’s been a long road, as she explains in this episode, from starting out as a writing assistant on ‘Broad City’ to her current role as a writer and guest star on the final season of ‘Search Party.’ We also talk about her risky decision to burn any potential bridge to ‘Saturday Night Live’ by calling out the show for its lack of Black female cast members and why she felt “less excited” about being on Netflix after the Dave Chappelle controversy exploded. Follow Naomi Ekperigin on Twitter @Blacktress and Instagram @blacktresscomedyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Nicole Byer became the Emmy-nominated face of Netflix’s family-friendly baking competition show ‘Nailed It!’ she was best known as one of the raunchiest comedians on the stand-up scene. It’s the type of juxtaposition that has drawn parallels to Bob Saget, another filthy comic who found fame on the super-saccharine sitcom ‘Full House.’ On this episode, Byer breaks down how she balances these two disparate sides of her comedy persona, sizes up her Emmy competition and reflects on the bizarrely “segregated” SNL audition in which she lost out to her best friend Sasheer Zamata.  Follow Nicole Byer on Twitter @nicolebyer and Instagram @nicolebyerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  This episode was originally published on August 24, 2021. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special annual crossover pod, ‘The Last Laugh’ host Matt Wilstein joins ‘The New Abnormal’ co-host Molly Jong-Fast and producer Jesse Cannon to look back at the year in political comedy, from the problem with Dave Chappelle to big changes at SNL to the pitch black humor of ‘Succession’ and a lot more.Follow Molly Jong-Fast on Twitter @MollyJongFast Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we get to the end of the year, host Matt Wilstein is joined by The Daily Beast’s Laura Bradley to share their lists of the funniest performances of 2021, including previous podcast guests (Busy Philipps! Nicole Byer!) and more of the biggest names in comedy who made us laugh the hardest this year.See our full list of the 20 funniest performances of 2021 at The Daily Beast.Follow Laura Bradley on Twitter @lpbradley Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod ‘Succession’ clip via @jga41agher Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a Palestinian refugee who grew up in Houston, Mo Amer has one of the most unique stories in the stand-up comedy scene. With his latest Netflix special ‘Mohammed in Texas,’ the comedian is proving himself as one of the most talented as well. In this episode, Amer talks about how a summer spent performing in the Ohio cornfield of his friend and mentor Dave Chappelle prepared him to put out his best material yet. He also shares stories about making David Letterman a fan, finding himself seated next to Eric Trump in business class and why he doesn’t believe Chappelle is actually “canceled” after his own controversial Netflix hour. Follow Mo Amer on Twitter @realmoamer and Instagram @realmoamerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the three years they overlapped in the cast of ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer didn’t have “some big sketch together.” But they always made each other laugh and ever since they left the show have kept looking for new ways to collaborate. Now, they have reunited in a big way to co-write and co-star in ‘A Clüsterfünke Christmas,’ their new parody of those guilty pleasure Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies for Comedy Central. In this episode, Dratch and Gasteyer break down how they pulled off their spot-on send-up and reminisce about the highs and lows of their time on SNL—from behind-the-scenes antics to wild after parties to the struggles they faced in the entertainment industry when they each decided to move on. Follow Rachel Dratch on Twitter @TheRealDratch and Instagram @raedratchFollow Ana Gasteyer on Twitter @AnaGasteyer and Instagram @anagasteyerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susie Essman made a name for herself cursing out Larry David as her alter-ego Susie Greene on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’ But as she reveals in this episode, in the 21 years since the show premiered—and the 35 years since she met David in the New York comedy clubs—they have never once gotten into an actual fight. Essman opens up about David’s unique “genius” as a comedian, how ‘Curb’ gets away with being so politically incorrect, the unconscious inspiration for her character and the bizarro world in which she could have played Elaine on ‘Seinfeld.’Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of this week’s season two premiere, the mysterious New York filmmaker behind HBO’s ‘How To With John Wilson’ breaks down how he made the most fascinating TV show of 2020. John Wilson reveals how ‘Nathan for You’ creator Nathan Fielder helped pitch the show to Hollywood executives, why he considers himself “completely different” from Sacha Baron Cohen, how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the season one finale and what fans can expect from season two. This episode was originally published on November 26, 2020.Follow John Wilson on Twitter @howtojohnwilson and Instagram @peepingjohnFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natasha Rothwell has had a very big year, from facing off with Jennifer Coolidge in ‘The White Lotus’ to stealing scenes in the final season of ‘Insecure.’ And things are only looking up from here, with two new shows in development at HBO, a third in the works with Disney-ABC and a mysterious role in the upcoming ‘Wonka’ movie starring Timothée Chalamet. In this episode, Rothwell opens up about auditioning for ‘Saturday Night Live’ as part of that show’s “clunky” search for a Black female cast member and ending up as a writer instead, getting hired as a writer on ‘Insecure’ before landing her breakout role as Kelli and returning to her dramatic roots as Belinda in ‘The White Lotus,’ a role that became very different after she was cast.   Follow Natasha Rothwell on Twitter @natasharothwell and Instagram @natasharothwellFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When they first started performing stand-up in the early 1980s, Bobcat Goldthwait and Dana Gould could not have been more different. And as they reveal in their new documentary ‘Joy Ride,’ they “hated” each other’s comedy. But over the years, their styles converged and now they tour the country together, telling hilarious stories from their wild pasts and making each other laugh as hard as their audiences do. In this episode, Goldthwait and Gould open up about their contentious past and reveal how a harrowing car accident on tour nearly cut their lives and careers short. They also share the truth behind Goldthwait’s decades-long feud with Jerry Seinfeld, what Robin Williams was really like when the cameras weren’t rolling, Gould’s favorite jokes he wrote for ‘The Simpsons’ and a lot more. Stream ‘Joy Ride’ on Amazon Prime VideoFollow Bobcat Goldthwait on Instagram @bobcatgoldthwaitFollow Dana Gould on Twitter @danagould and Instagram @danagouldFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Pally has a special knack for making hilarious but little-seen comedy that only gets rediscovered by a wider audience years later. There was his beloved cult hit ‘Happy Endings,’ which struggled to find viewers when it ran on ABC from 2011 to 2013, but is now finding new relevance on Netflix. There was his legendary guest-hosting trainwreck on ‘The Late Late Show’ that has since become an internet obsession. And now there’s ‘Champaign ILL,’ an alternate universe ‘Entourage’ that came and went without much fanfare when it debuted as a YouTube Original three years ago but is now making a splash on Hulu. In this episode, Pally opens up about how the gay character that launched his comedy career might look less “progressive” in hindsight and tells hilarious stories about Regis Philbin introducing him to Donald Trump, how he ended up impersonating Don Jr. on ‘The President Show’ and a lot more.Follow Adam Pally on Twitter @adampally and Instagram @adam.pallyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Roy Wood Jr. tells us what his year of ‘Daily Show’ correspondent appearances from home was like and the many ways in which the show has changed since Trump left office. He also talks about his podcast ‘Roy’s Job Fair,’ previews his new stand-up special on Comedy Central, breaks down how his trans jokes differ from Dave Chappelle’s and explains why his first ‘Daily Show’ audition didn’t go as planned.This episode was originally published on March 23rd, 2021.Follow Roy Wood Jr. on Twitter @roywoodjr and Instagram @roywoodjrFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the last several years of his career, comedian Ricky Velez has been best known as Pete Davidson’s best friend, both in real life on on-screen in ‘The King of Staten Island.’ Now, he is grabbing the spotlight for himself in his new hour-long HBO special called ‘Here’s Everything.’ It’s his first time ever performing stand-up on TV and, as the title suggests, he holds nothing back. In this episode, Velez talks about how growing up half-Irish, half-Puerto Rican in Queens made racism a foreign concept, how his gig as a contributor on Larry Wilmore’s ‘Nightly Show’ led to beef with Bill Nye the Science Guy, and what he’s learned about fame and unwanted attention from SNL’s Davidson. Follow Ricky Velez on Instagram @rickyvelezFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jena Friedman is a former ‘Daily Show’ field producer, an uncompromising stand-up comedian and, as of this past year, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter for ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.’ Now, she’s taking on the true crime industrial complex as the host of ‘Indefensible’ on SundanceTV and AMC+. In this rare repeat appearance on the podcast, Friedman talks about exposing “crisis pregnancy centers” in ‘Borat,’ weighs in on “Missing White Woman Syndrome,” and shares her thoughts on the death of John McAfee, with whom she conducted the definitive interview for her previous show ‘Soft Focus.’Follow Jena Friedman on Twitter @JenaFriedman and Instagram @jenafriedmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dane Cook was, for a brief time in the mid-2000s, the most popular comedian on the planet. Then, as the rockstar cliche goes, it all came crashing down. It turns out his story is more complicated than that, as he lays out in this episode. We talk about his humble Boston beginnings, why he turned down the chance to replace Adam Sandler on SNL and how he has continued to push himself as a stand-up comic with his first special in over a decade on the horizon. Cook also opens up about his joke-stealing feud with Louis C.K., his own “cancel culture” moment and a lot more. Follow Dane Cook on Twitter @DaneCook and Instagram @danecookFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Tour dates and tickets at DaneCook.com Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rhea Seehorn may be best known for playing the very serious Kim Wexler opposite Bob Odenkirk on ‘Better Call Saul.’ But for the first 15 years or so of her acting career, she couldn’t break out of the “sitcom” box. This fall, while fans eagerly await that ‘Breaking Bad’ spin-off’s climactic final season, Seehorn is returning to her comedy roots as the hot-mess matriarch Debbie in Paramount+’s new animated series ‘The Harper House.’ In this bonus episode, the actress opens up about getting “pigeonholed” in the comedy world, fighting to get the role that transformed her career, and then proving that she can still be hilarious by going toe-to-toe with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on ‘Veep.’ Plus, Seehorn teases season six of ‘Better Call Saul,’ including what it’s been like to have Bob Odenkirk back on set after his heart attack, how she feels about Tony Dalton’s Lalo surviving last season’s finale and what those finger guns were all about. Follow Rhea Seehorn on Twitter @rheaseehorn and Instagram @rheaseehornFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taylor Tomlinson started performing stand-up at church shows when she was just 16 years old. Now, at 27, she is one of the fastest rising stars in the comedy scene, with a popular hour-long special on Netflix called ‘Quarter-Life Crisis’ and a new nationwide theater tour this fall. As Tomlinson breaks down in this episode, she had to make a hard break from her religious upbringing to be accepted into the mainstream comedy world, trading in her “clean” material for jokes with a “darker” edge. Follow Taylor Tomlinson on Twitter @taylortomlinson and Instagram @taylortomlinsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Subscribe to Taylor Tomlinson’s ‘Celeb vs Superfan’ podcast Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been two years since Gary Gulman released his remarkable stand-up special ‘The Great Depresh.’ And despite a global pandemic that caused its own parallel mental health crisis, he says he’s really never felt better. The 51-year-old comedian is currently touring two new hours of material, one of which will land him at Carnegie Hall in November, less than five years after he walked out of a psychiatric ward. In this episode, Gulman opens up about how he turned things around and achieved a new level of comedy confidence that has allowed him to be vulnerable on stage in a whole new way. He also weighs in on Bo Burnham’s anxiety-themed special ‘Inside,’ previews his role in Amy Schumer’s new show, looks back at his “miserable” time on Dane Cook’s ‘Tourgasm’ and a lot more.Follow Gary Gulman on Twitter @GaryGulman and Instagram @garygulmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Josh Johnson spent the first few years of his comedy career writing monologue jokes for Jimmy Fallon at ‘The Tonight Show’ and then crafting longer bits for Trevor Noah at ‘The Daily Show.’ Now, after an extended pandemic-induced delay, he is getting his own voice out there in a big way. In addition to his new stand-up special ‘Hashtag,’ which is streaming now on Paramount+, Johnson also put out a mixtape album this year called ‘Elusive’ that combines both deeply funny comedy and deeply emotional music. On this episode, he opens up about how a fear of dying young pushed him to expand his creative ambitions and shares stories from his late-night writing gigs, including what it was like to watch Fallon playfully ruffle Donald Trump’s hair and how working with Trevor Noah has made him a better comedian. Follow Josh Johnson on Twitter @JoshJohnson and Instagram @joshjohnsoncomedyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  Stream Josh Johnson’s ‘Elusive’ mixtape  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedy icon Martin Short somehow turned 70 last year. And while he’s still capable of the unbounded energy he first showed the world on shows like ‘SCTV’ and ‘Saturday Night Live,’ he can also be more sincere and reflective than his biggest fans might expect. In this in-depth conversation, the man who’s known as just “Marty” to his famous friends tells hilarious stories about working with Steve Martin, performing for David Letterman, embodying Jiminy Glick and more. Plus, he breaks down what it took to transform himself into a #MeToo monster for his Emmy-nominated role on ‘The Morning Show’ and teases his latest series ‘Only Murders in the Building’ co-starring Steve Martin and Selena Gomez.This episode was originally published on August 18th, 2020.Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the youngest writer ever hired at ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Simon Rich achieved his biggest dreams ridiculously early in life. Everything that’s followed, including a stint at Pixar writing ‘Inside Out,’ running his own shows—‘Man Seeking Woman’ and ‘Miracle Workers’—and turning his multi-part ‘New Yorker’ story ‘Sell Out’ into the movie ‘An American Pickle’ starring two Seth Rogens, has been beyond his wildest imagination. And for him, that’s really saying something. On this episode, Rich reads an excerpt from his latest short story collection ‘New Teeth’ and reflects on his incredibly prolific career as the most ambitious comedy writer in the game. Plus, hear stories about what it was like to guest-write an episode of ‘The Simpsons,’ the rejected sketch he pitched to LeBron James on his first-ever SNL episode and tackling Willy Wonka’s origin story in the upcoming prequel starring Timothée Chalamet. Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Buy ‘New Teeth’ on Amazon Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Nicole Byer became the Emmy-nominated face of Netflix’s family-friendly baking competition show ‘Nailed It!’ she was best known as one of the raunchiest comedians on the stand-up scene. It’s the type of juxtaposition that has drawn parallels to Bob Saget, another filthy comic who found fame on the super-saccharine sitcom ‘Full House.’ On this episode, Byer breaks down how she balances these two disparate sides of her comedy persona, sizes up her Emmy competition and reflects on the bizarrely “segregated” SNL audition in which she lost out to her best friend Sasheer Zamata. Follow Nicole Byer on Twitter @nicolebyer and Instagram @nicolebyerFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Kathy Griffin opens up about the infamous photoshoot that changed her life and sounds off on President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., TMZ’s Harvey Levin, CNN’s Jeff Zucker, Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Alec Baldwin, Lorne Michaels, Jerry Seinfeld and a hell of a lot more.  This episode was originally published on July 2nd, 2019.Follow Kathy Griffin on Twitter @kathygriffin and Instagram @kathygriffinFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Stream ‘Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story’ on Amazon Prime Video Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake Johnson has run from dinosaurs with Chris Pratt, fought off mummies with Tom Cruise and embodied an alternate universe Spiderman. But for his latest project ‘Ride the Eagle,’ the actor has scaled things way back, teaming up with ‘New Girl’ director Trent O’Donnell to see if they could create a movie that is both safe to shoot during the pandemic and satisfying from a storytelling perspective. On this episode, Johnson breaks down how his experience in those blockbuster films have shaped his views on Hollywood, reveals how Cruise taught him the difference between “injured and hurt” and teases the future of his Peter B. Parker character from ‘Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse’Follow Jake Johnson on Instagram @mrjakejohnsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Stream ‘Ride the Eagle’ on Amazon Prime Video Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From her breakthrough performance as Mel the stalker on ‘Flight of the Conchords,’ to her long-running gig as the voice of fourth-grader Louise Belcher on ‘Bob’s Burgers’ to her latest role as Number Two on the Disney+ adaptation of ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society,’ Kristen Schaal never fails to bring a unique energy to the screen. And it all begins with her unmistakable voice. On this episode, Schaal looks back on her winding road from alt-comedy darling to mainstream children’s TV star, including detours writing for ‘South Park,’ serving as the “Senior Women’s Issues Correspondent” on ‘The Daily Show’ and getting a well-deserved Emmy nomination for—what else?—her voice-over work on ‘Bojack Horseman.’ Follow Kristen Schaal on Twitter @kristenschaaled and Instagram @k.schaalFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nikki Glaser is a world-class stand-up comedian, a ruthless celebrity roaster and an endlessly engaging daily podcaster. Now, she’s also a reality TV star thanks to her new gig hosting the deliberately absurd dating show ‘FBoy Island’ on HBO Max. On this episode, Glaser talks about how she landed her dream job after “embarrassing” herself on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ shares her unvarnished opinions on body image and cancel culture and reveals some wild behind-the-scenes stories about roasting Ann Coulter, Alec Baldwin, Caitlyn Jenner, Blake Griffin, Jeff Ross and more.  Follow Nikki Glaser on Twitter @NikkiGlaser and Instagram @nikkiglaserFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Director David Wain thought his career was over when ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ bombed at the box office in July of 2001. 20 years later, the film has become a full-blown comedy classic thanks to the exploding celebrity of previously unknown cast members like Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler and the fierce dedication of fans who made sure it would live on forever. On this very special episode of the podcast, Wain reflects on the wildly difficult process of putting the movie together, reveals some of the future stars who didn’t make the cut and how its initial failure and ultimate success has affected his prolific career as a comedy director. Follow David Wain on Twitter @davidwain and Instagram @davidwainFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Rory Scovel never knows exactly what he’s going to say when he steps on stage. But in his latest stand-up special ‘Live Without Fear,’ he threw out the script altogether and performed six consecutive nights of fully improvised material. On the other end of the creative spectrum, Scovel recently took on a major role opposite Rose Byrne in the Apple TV+ series ‘Physical.’ He joins the podcast this week for a surprisingly deep conversation about his unlikely path from experimental comedian to mainstream actor. Follow Rory Scovel on Twitter @roryscovel and Instagram @roryscovelFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Watch the ‘Live Without Fear’ special on YouTubeStream the ‘Live Without Fear’ album on Amazon Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mindy Kaling broke through as a writer and star of ‘The Office’ and then ‘The Mindy Project’ before taking those roles to new heights in her latest film ‘Late Night’ opposite Emma Thompson. In this episode, we talk about the complicated politics of that movie and what it’s actually like to be the only minority woman in an all-male writers room. Plus, Kaling speaks out for the first time about her controversial Instagram post supporting Aziz Ansari, reveals why she had to turn down her “dream” job at SNL and previews her hit Netflix show ‘Never Have I Ever.’ This episode was originally published on June 18th, 2019.Follow Mindy Kaling on Twitter @mindykaling and Instagram @mindykalingFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 years before he created the hilarious, Stephen Colbert-produced ‘Tooning Out the News,’ R.J. Fried spent time in the trenches of actual cable news, working for MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell. That experience, along with his years as a writer for ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ and Robert Smigel’s Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, helped prepare him to run what has somehow become the most consistently funny and hard-hitting political comedy show on TV. On this episode, Fried breaks down how he gets people like Alan Dershowitz, Matt Schlapp and real-life members of Congress to subject themselves to brutal interrogations from the show’s cartoon news anchors—and reveals which right-wing pundits he’s turned down.Follow R.J. Fried on Twitter @rjfriedFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a best-selling memoir, beloved podcast and insanely popular Instagram account, Busy Philipps was ready to quit acting for good when Tina Fey came along and offered her one of the four lead roles in this summer’s breakout comedy hit ‘Girls5eva.’ On this episode, Busy opens up about two decades in the entertainment industry that haven’t always been easy, from the intense pressure that came with her early days on ‘Freaks and Geeks’ and ‘Dawson’s Creek’ to her prematurely canceled late-night talk show ‘Busy Tonight’ on E! She also explains why her best friend Michelle Williams stays far away from social media, shares her reaction to Seth Rogen’s decision to stop working with James Franco and explains why she doubts any of Hollywood’s predators will ever “fuck with” her again. Follow Busy Philipps on Twitter @BusyPhilipps and Instagram @busyphilippsFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most successful stand-up comedians of all time, Jim Gaffigan became the first comic to premiere a special with Amazon Prime Video in 2019. Quality Time, Gaffigan’s seventh hour-long special, finds the comedian getting back to basics like his weight and an inordinate number of horse jokes after dealing with his wife and writing partner Jeannie’s harrowing medical scare. In the episode, Jim opens up about that experience and explains why he’d rather make jokes about brain tumors than President Trump. He also weighs in on David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K., Bill O’Reilly, the Pope and a lot more. This episode was originally published on August 20th, 2019.Follow Jim Gaffigan on Twitter @JimGaffigan and Instagram @jimgaffiganFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Gina Yashere’s new memoir is titled ‘Cack-Handed,’ which, she explains, means “left-handed or awkward and clumsy, which I am all of these things.” She’s also the first Brit to perform on ‘Def Comedy Jam,’ a one-time Senior British Correspondent for ‘The Daily Show’ and the co-creator with Chuck Lorre of the CBS sitcom ‘Bob Hearts Abishola,’ which uses her Nigerian heritage as comedic inspiration. She originally thought he was trying to exploit her and is really glad she gave him a second chance. We get into all of it on this week’s episode and Yashere reveals the unique challenges she has faced in the entertainment industry and shares her thoughts about “that pug-faced twat” Piers Morgan.Follow Gina Yashere on Twitter @ginayashere and Instagram @ginayashereFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Kim Booster likes to play the “hot idiot” on stage. But as you will quickly learn during this episode, he is actually full the insights about the unique challenges he has faced on his path to becoming one of the funniest young comedians working today. To kick off Pride Month, the stand-up comic and co-host of the ‘Flameout’ podcast on Spotify opens up about growing up with his adoptive Evangelical Christian family, how he gave up self-deprecation to embrace over-confidence and why there hasn’t been a gay male stand-up comedy superstar on the level of Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes or Tig Notaro. He also reveals some exciting news about the status of his big gay rom-com ‘Trip’ co-starring SNL’s Bowen Yang!Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and Instagram @ihatejoelkimFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Tig Notaro opens up about moving on from ‘One Mississippi’ and Louis C.K., the fundamental silliness of her online talk show ‘Under a Rock’ and why decided to host her new advice podcast ‘Don’t Ask Tig.’ She also tells a hilarious story about the time she guest-starred on ‘The Office,’ shares an update on her forthcoming Netflix film in which she plays the first lady opposite Jennifer Aniston’s president and reveals that she has taken on a whole new career during quarantine.  This episode was originally published on July 28th, 2020.Follow Tig Notaro on Twitter @TigNotaro and Instagram @therealfluffnotaroFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three decades after they appeared together on ‘In Living Color,’ David Alan Grier is now playing Jamie Foxx’s father on their new Netflix sitcom ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!’—despite just an 11 year age difference between the two comedy legends. On this episode, Grier recalls his first impressions of Foxx when he joined that iconic sketch series in its third season and tells some outrageous stories about doing the Super Bowl halftime show, hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ twice before turning down a spot in the show’s cast and tackling the rape charges against his one-time mentor Bill Cosby on ‘The Carmichael Show.’ Follow David Alan Grier on Twitter @davidalangrier and Instagram @davidalangrierFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After creating ‘Parks and Recreation,’ ‘Brooklyn 99’ and ‘The Good Place,’ Mike Schur has decided to dive head first into the culture wars with his ‘Rutherford Falls.’ The new show, now streaming on Peacock, stars ‘The Office’s’ Ed Helms as a well-intentioned but problematic descendant of colonizers who finds himself in a battle over historical statues and everything they represent with the nearby Native American tribe. Schur returns to the podcast this week to get into all of the controversial issues raised in his new series, explain why Native American representation was so important on-screen and off and share some hilarious stories from his early days writing for SNL and ‘The Office.’Follow Mike Schur on Twitter @KenTremendousFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stars of Netflix’s hit prank movie ‘Bad Trip’ join ‘The Last Laugh’ podcast this week! Wel hear from comedian—and Oscars savior—Lil Rel Howery about why he almost quit the film on day one and from writer, producer and star Eric Andre about his long history of outrageous comedy antics, the important advice he got from Sacha Baron Cohen, his wonderfully weird interview with Larry King and a lot more. Follow Eric Andre on Twitter @ericandre and Instagram @ericfuckingandreFollow Lil Rel Howery on Twitter @LilRel4 and Instagram @comedianlilrelFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exactly a decade after ‘Bridesmaids’ hit theaters and smashed records, director Paul Feig joins the podcast to look back on how it all came together so perfectly. Feig goes deep on the whole process, from how he escaped “movie jail” to land the gig to discovering the power of Melissa McCarthy during the audition process and shares behind-the-scenes stories from the movie’s funniest sequences. He also opens up about the pressure he and collaborators Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumulo and Judd Apatow felt to deliver a hit that would somehow prove the value of female-led comedies and why that burden never should have been placed on their shoulders. Follow Paul Feig on Twitter @paulfeig and Instagram @paulfeigFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Broad City’s’ Abbi Jacobson joins this very special 4/20 episode to look back on highlights from the game-changing comedy series she created and starred in with partner-in-crime Ilana Glazer and ahead to her new diverse adaptation of ‘A League of Their Own.’ Jacobson also talks about her latest gig voicing a college-bound teenager whose family finds itself combatting the robot apocalypse in Netflix’s new animated film ‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines.’ Plus, Hillary Clinton, Larry David and Phish!Follow Abbi Jacobson on Instagram @abbijacobsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keith and Kenny Lucas spent 9 years developing, pitching and ultimately co-writing ‘Judas and the Black Messiah.’ It was all worth it when they landed a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination for their work. On this episode, the identical twins talk about dropping out of two separate law schools to become a stand-up comedy team, why they have more or less disowned their 2017 Netflix special ‘On Drugs.’ They try to get the bottom of how the two actors who play the title characters in their film—Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield—both ended up getting nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category and also dig deep on the “codependency” that has defined their lifelong relationship, which once included sharing a therapist.Follow The Lucas Brothers on Twitter @lucasbros and Instagram @thelucasbrosFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s the difference between challenging stereotypes and perpetuating those same stereotypes? That’s just one of the many questions international comedy superstar Jo Koy tries to get to the bottom of on this week’s episode. Koy talks about putting the jokes aside to deal with the harsh realities of his childhood as a half-Filipino, half-white kid in his new memoir ‘Mixed Plate’ and breaks down how he forged his own comedy path, refusing to take no as an answer from Netflix and gaining Steven Spielberg, who’s producing a new movie based on his life, as a fan. He also tells stories about turning down the chance to be Chelsea Handler’s sidekick and shares his reaction to mentor Jay Leno’s recent apology for decades of anti-Asian jokes.Buy ‘Mixed Plate’ on AmazonFollow Jo Koy on Twitter @Jokoy and Instagram @jokoyFollow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two and half years after Lisa Lampanelli retired from insult comedy to become a life coach, the former “Queen of Mean” opens up about what made her decide to leave roasting behind and why she decided to make a rare appearance in the new FX documentary ‘Hysterical’ about the history of female comedians. Lisa tells wild stories about her early days roasting Chevy Chase and Pamela Anderson, the two separate times she roasted Donald Trump and how that led to a bizarre stint on ‘The Celebrity Apprentice.’ Plus, she breaks down her beef with Patrice O’Neal, Louis C.K. and Joan Rivers. Get tickets for Lisa’s upcoming live storytelling show.Twitter: @LisaLampanelli and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lisalampanelli and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Roy Wood Jr. tells us what his year of ‘Daily Show’ correspondent appearances from home has been like and how the show has changed since Trump left office. He also talks about his new podcast ‘Roy’s Job Fair,’ previews his recently announced stand-up special set to premiere on Comedy Central later this year and shares hilarious stories about his late-night debut on ‘Letterman’ and why his first ‘Daily Show’ audition didn’t go as planned. Twitter: @roywoodjr and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @roywoodjr and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze returns to ‘The Last Laugh’ this week to talk about his latest special ‘The Greatest Average American,’ which premieres this Thursday, March 18th on Netflix. He breaks down how he managed to pull off his funniest hour yet during the pandemic, why he needed to try out his COVID jokes on Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show,’ where he sees himself in the comedy pantheon and a lot more. Twitter: @natebargatze and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @natebargatze and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark one year since our world was turned upside down, this episode features stories from eight comedians about trying to stay funny in the middle of a global pandemic:— Cameron Esposito— Jimmy O. Yang— Nick Offerman— Tig Notaro— Beth Stelling— Jordan Klepper— John Wilson— Sarah CooperTwitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the 100th episode of ‘The Last Laugh’ podcast and Nathan Lane is here to talk about his iconic role in ‘The Birdcage’ nearly 25 years to the day after that classic comedy film was released. We get into all of it, including how he landed the breakthrough role of his movie career, improvising on set with Robin Williams and the complicated experience of promoting the film on ‘Oprah’ before he was ready to come out publicly.  Twitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our 100th episode with Nathan Lane dropping next Tuesday, the star of ‘The Birdcage’ weighs in on the debate over straight actors playing gay roles and shares some unexpected news about a possible sequel to the classic comedy film 25 years after its release.   Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, March 2nd.  Twitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Atlanta-based comedian Blaire Erskine has blown up on Twitter over the past year with videos that not only roast Trump-loving conservatives but have also managed to fool a large number of prominent liberals. With characters like Tiffany Trump’s best friend, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s daughter and Ted Cruz’s spokesperson, Blaire rides a fine line between parody and reality and nails it every time. In this episode, we talk about how she honed this new craft during the pandemic, why 90% of the hate she gets comes from the left and a lot more.Twitter: @blaireerskine and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @blaire.erskine and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Wilmore is a comedy writer, producer, former host of ‘The Nightly Show’ and current host of the podcast ‘Black on the Air.’ Now, Larry has executive produced a new six-part docuseries called ‘Amend: The Fight for America,’ hosted by Will Smith, that will premiere on Netflix this Wednesday, February 17th. In this episode, Larry shares behind-the-scenes stories from ‘The Daily Show,’ ‘The Office,’ and his infamous speech at President Obama’s final White House Correspondents’ Dinner.  This episode was originally published on May 5, 2020. Twitter: @larrywilmore and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @larrywilmore and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nine seasons spent bringing lovable weirdos to life as a cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Bobby Moynihan is at it again on the Tina Fey-created sitcom ‘Mr. Mayor.’ On this episode, Bobby talks about being one of the biggest SNL fans to ever make the cast, shares Donald Trump’s alarming praise of his racist “Drunk Uncle” character and reveals what made him leave the show after a presidential election season dominated by Alec Baldwin. Twitter: @bibbymoynihan and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @bibbymoynihan and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a rare interview, the man behind @TheTweetofGod—former “Daily Show” writer David Javerbaum—opens up about creating that wildly popular Twitter account and adapting it into the new ‘Godcast’ podcast. He also tells stories about writing jokes with Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, composing songs with James Corden and Adam Schlesinger and teases his upcoming book, ‘The Book of Pslams: 97 Divine Diatribes on Humanity’s Total Failure.’Twitter: @TheTweetOfGod and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years spent roasting D-list celebrities on ‘Chelsea Lately,’ A-list celebrities on the Comedy Central roasts and hipster couples on her ‘Honeymoon Stand Up Special’ with husband Moshe Kasher, Natasha Leggero has moved on to roasting houses. On this week’s episode, the co-host of ‘House Hunters: Comedians on Couches Unfiltered’ opens up about her “uniquely challenging” comedic journey, including a transcendent stand-up debut, an early brush with “cancel culture” and a lot more. Twitter: @natashaleggero and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @natashaleggero and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Sam Morril is so prolific that he managed to release two full-length stand-up specials in 2020 when most comics couldn’t even get on stage. In this episode, we talk about how he pulled off ‘I Got This’ and ‘Up on the Roof,’ both of which are available to stream for free on YouTube now, plus his unique outlook on the power of “offensive” jokes, his unexpected cameo in ‘Joker’ and a lot more. Twitter: @sammorril and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @sammorril and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Donald Trump’s last full day as president, comedian Sarah Cooper looks back and her life-changing year lip-syncing him on TikTok and ahead to her own post-Trump ambitions in comedy. We also talk about the early stand-up material she now worries might get her “canceled,” the surreal experience of watching Trump talk about her on Fox News, how she got Helen Mirren to recreate the ‘Access Hollywood’ tape for her Netflix special and a lot more—including whether she’s really done with Trump. Twitter: @sarahcpr and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @sarahcpr and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of our episode with Sarah Cooper dropping next Tuesday—AKA Donald Trump’s last full day in office—the comedian shares her parting message for the president she has spent the past year making fun of on TikTok. Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released next Tuesday, January 19th. Twitter: @sarahcpr and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @sarahcpr and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colin Quinn got COVID-19 for the jokes. Well, not exactly. But as the stand-up comedian and star of HBOMax’s ‘Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show’ explains in this episode, he’s already developing new material about the experience. “And guess what? If I find out other comedians are doing a corona routine, I want to make sure they had it,” he jokes. “I don’t want any medical appropriation!” During this hilarious conversation, Quinn goes deep on his long comedy career, including why he turned down a chance to perform on the ‘Tonight Show,’ how his friend Jerry Seinfeld ended up directing his one-man shows and why he ended up “sabotaging” himself on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Twitter: @iamcolinquinn and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @iamcolinquinn and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Woliner thought it was a terrible idea to make a sequel to the “funniest movie ever made.” Sacha Baron Cohen hired him to direct it anyway. In our first new episode of 2021, Woliner tells some truly insane stories about the making of ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,’ including how they found Maria Bakalova to play Tutar, why he was forced to bleach his hair blonde and take on a secret, less “globalist” identity, the time he almost got beat up after the debutante ball dance scene and what really happened in that hotel room with Rudy Giuliani. Stream ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’ on Amazon Prime Video.Twitter: @jwoliner and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comedian, podcast host, best-selling author and, until recently, one half of ‘2 Dope Queens’ with Jessica Williams. Now, she has officially gone solo, first with a new advice podcast called ‘Black Frasier’ and soon with her own Comedy Central talk show titled ‘Doing the Most’ in which she “big spoons” celebrity guests like Kevin Bacon and Tan France. We get into all of this, plus what it’s been like experiencing the resurgence of Black Lives Matter during a global pandemic and her thoughts on Kanye West’s “ignorant” attack on Harriet Tubman.  Watch Phoebe’s ‘Yearly Departed’ special on Amazon Prime Video.This episode was originally published on August 11, 2020. Twitter: @dopequeenpheebs and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @dopequeenpheebs and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special crossover pod, ‘The Last Laugh’ host Matt Wilstein joins ‘The New Abnormal’ co-host Molly Jong-Fast and producer Jesse Cannon to look back at the year in political comedy, from the confrontational antics of Sacha Baron Cohen and Jordan Klepper to viral impressionists Sarah Cooper, Blaire Erskine and the women who saved SNL from Alec Baldwin and Jim Carrey. Twitter: @NewAbnormalPod, @MollyJongFast, @JesseCannon and @mattwilstein Instagram: @mollyjongfast, @jessecannon and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate the end of this absurd year, Matt Wilstein is joined by The Daily Beast’s Laura Bradley to share their lists of the funniest performances of 2020. They include some previous ‘Last Laugh’ guests (Sam Jay! Jordan Klepper!) and a whole bunch of comedians who will hopefully join us on the show in the future. See our full list of the 20 funniest performances of 2020 at The Daily Beast:https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-20-funniest-performances-of-2020-from-borat-schitts-creek-snl-and-moreTwitter: @mattwilstein and @lpbradley | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting with his breakthrough role as Rafi on ‘The League,’ Jason Mantzoukas has a solid decade under his belt as the comedy world’s favorite “crazy, wild-eyed maniac,” in his words. In this episode, Jason takes us through his prolific career, including hilarious turns in ‘The Dictator,’ ‘Transparent,’ ‘The Good Place’ and so many others. Remarkably, some of his most nuanced work has come as Jay, a horny bisexual tween, on Netflix’s animated hit ‘Big Mouth,’ which premiered its excellent fourth season earlier this month. Finally, Jason reveals the one scene from ‘The League’ that he and Nick Kroll couldn’t get through because they were laughing too hard. Twitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Michael Kosta decided to call his new Comedy Central stand-up special ‘Detroit. NY. LA.’ he had no idea people would be watching it in lockdown just so they could vicariously travel around the country. In this bonus episode, the ‘Daily Show’ correspondent (and former tennis pro!) talks about finding the balance between George Carlin and Steve Martin, becoming Trevor Noah’s token white guy and how he thinks late-night comedy will change post-Trump. Twitter: @michaelkosta and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @michaelkosta and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It took Jessica Kirson 19 years to land her first-ever hour-long special ‘Talking to Myself’. Despite her reputation as a club comic who can kill in any room, the networks weren’t exactly banging down her door. “I was never the hot, skinny, flirtatious female comedian,” she says. “So I was just funny.” Ultimately, it was fellow comedian Bill Burr agreeing to produce her special that made Comedy Central pay attention. In this episode, Jessica opens up about her long road to success, including how she became Robert de Niro’s comedy mentor and how she’s adapting to a world in which most live shows are happening on Zoom. Twitter: @JessicaKirson and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @jessykirson and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Buy tickets for ‘Jessica Kirson: Disgusting Hawk’ at RushTix.comStream her hour-long special ‘Talking to Myself’ on Amazon Prime Video. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the new Mr. Belding stand-in on Peacock’s ‘Saved by the Bell’ reboot, John Michael Higgins is “basically a dunk tank clown,” in his words. The comic role of “old white man” is one the veteran character actor has come to accept later in his career. But he’s still probably best known for playing the younger, more flamboyant half of the gay couple with a Shih Tzu in the 2000 comedy classic ‘Best in Show’—a part he says he would never get today. In this episode, John opens up about his risky big break playing David Letterman in ‘The Late Shift,’ the unique challenge of improvising through Christopher Guest movies, what he learned from the late great Fred Willard and a lot more. Twitter: @Real_JMHiggins and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The mysterious New York filmmaker behind HBO’s ‘How To With John Wilson’ joins this very special bonus episode to break down how he made perhaps the most fascinating TV show of 2020. John reveals how ‘Nathan for You’ creator Nathan Fielder helped pitch the show to Hollywood executives, why he considers himself “completely different” from Sacha Baron Cohen, how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the season one finale and what fans can expect from a possible season two. And yes, we talk about the foreskin restoration guy. Twitter: @howtojohnwilson and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @peepingjohn and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After stealing scenes in ‘Silicon Valley,’ ‘Veep,’ ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and bunch of your other favorite shows, Mary Holland is about to break out in a big way as the co-writer and co-star of the new holiday rom-com ‘Happiest Season,’ premiering on Hulu November 25th. In this episode, Mary talks about how she went from improvising ridiculous characters at the Upright Citizens Brigade and on Scott Aukerman’s ‘Comedy Bang! Bang!’ podcast to becoming a go-to eccentric character actor on screen and shares some truly embarrassing audition stories. Twitter: @maryhollandaise and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @maryhollandaise and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Buy tickets for the live stream ‘Wild Horses’ show at eventbrite.com.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his most recent stand-up special ‘Oh Come On’ David Cross imagined the many outrageous ways that Donald Trump’s presidency could end. Now that it’s actually happening, the famously cranky comedian isn’t exactly dancing in the streets. In this episode, David expresses cautious optimism for America’s future and looks back on his majorly influential comedy career. He also breaks down why he was “disappointed” that Netflix took down a controversial episode of his recent ‘Mr. Show’ reboot and reveals why he believes ‘Arrested Development’ is finally over for good. Twitter: @davidcrosss and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @davidcrossofficial and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Subscribe to the ‘Assembly’ podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hilarious stars and creators of Showtime’s ‘Moonbase 8’ are here to help take our minds off of politics. John C. Reilly, Fred Armisen and Tim Heidecker are individually three of the funniest people around and they’re even funnier together in their new show about a trio of wannabe astronauts stuck in the middle of the Arizona desert. In this episode, they talk about how their overlapping careers led to this triumphant collaboration, tease the possible return of their good friend Dr. Steve Brule and a lot more.Twitter: @timheidecker and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @timheidecker, @sordociego and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Stream the ‘Moonbase 8’ premiere on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The creator and star of ‘The President Show’ on Comedy Central joins ‘The Last Laugh’ podcast for a special Election Day episode to mark what could be the political end of Donald Trump. “I wouldn't go that far!” Atamanuik, whose incredibly dark outlook on the future of America helped define his scathingly funny show, says when the idea of Biden blowout is raised. We talk about how he created his damning Trump impression, the backstory behind his bizarre feud with SNL’s Alec Baldwin and when he thinks he’ll be able to finally stop playing the president he despises. Twitter: @TonyAtamanuik and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @therealactualtony and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Buy his book ‘American Tantrum: The Donald J. Trump Presidential Archives’ on Amazon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea Handler is a comedian, activist and best-selling author of the book ‘Life Will Be the Death of Me,’ which is available in paperback now. In this episode, Chelsea talks about the Trump-inspired midlife crisis that shifted her priorities away from celebrity culture and towards progressive politics. She also opens up about what she learned about systemic racism by making her 2019 Netflix documentary ‘Hello Privilege, It’s Me Chelsea,’ previews her new stand-up special ‘Evolution’ on HBO Max and reveals why she still thinks the president might be suffering from syphilis-induced dementia.  This episode was originally published on June 22, 2020.  Twitter: @chelseahandler and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @chelseahandler and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Order ‘Life Will Be the Death of Me’ on Amazon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Daily Show’ contributor Jordan Klepper returns to ‘The Last Laugh’ podcast to talk about his insane year spent going to Trump rallies amidst a pandemic and delivering some of the most scathing political comedy of the 2020 election cycle. He reveals how a new sense of “desperation” has pervaded MAGA world compared to 2016 and what he’s learned about Trump’s chances by trolling his supporters. Jordan also opens up about how his own experience with the coronavirus back in March makes him skeptical about the president’s rapid recovery this past month.Twitter: @jordanklepper and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @jordanklepper and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu has reunited with his friend (and former ‘Last Laugh’ guest) W. Kamau Bell for a new season of their podcast ‘Politically Re-Active.’ In this episode, Hari shares his thoughts about Donald Trump, Joe Biden and undecided voters ahead of the 2020 election. He looks back on his mildly embarrassing late-night stand-up debut on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and explains why Margaret Cho made him want to become a comedian in the first place. And finally, Hari reacts to the way ‘The Simpsons’ directly responded to his documentary ‘The Problem With Apu,’ shares how he feels about Hank Azaria’s decision to stop playing the role and why it shouldn’t have taken “the brutal murder of a Black man in Minneapolis to change animation.” Twitter: @harikondabolu and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @harikondabolu and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian and ‘Daily Show’ contributor Lewis Black has a brand new stand-up special called ‘Thanks for Risking Your Life.’ Taped at a Michigan casino on Friday, March 13th, it’s the first comedy special to actually address the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, Lewis sounds off on the first presidential debate, talks about dodging Donald Trump’s phone calls and reveals how he almost got pushed out of ‘The Daily Show.’ He also tells stories about going on his first USO tour with Robin Williams, Kid Rock and Lance Armstrong and how he ended up personifying Anger in Pixar’s ‘Inside Out.’ Twitter: @TheLewisBlack and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @thelewisblack and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview from next week’s episode, comedian and ‘Daily Show’ contributor Lewis Black shares his instant reaction to the insane first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.  Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released on Tuesday, October 6th.  Twitter: @TheLewisBlack and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @thelewisblack and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Michelle Buteau says that stand-up “saved” her life after 9/11. Nearly 20 years later, she finally has her first hour-long special on Netflix. And the explosive ‘Welcome to Buteaupia’ is long overdue. In this episode, Michelle talks about taping the special just days before New York City shut down in March, the story behind her instant-classic “nobody wants to see yo dick” #MeToo bit, the “mind fuck” of playing a pregnant woman opposite Ali Wong in Netflix’s ‘Always Be My Maybe’ while at the same time struggling to become a mother herself and a lot more. Pre-order Michelle’s book ‘Survival of the Thickest’ on Amazon.Twitter: @MichelleButeau and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @michellebuteau and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years spent stealing scenes in movies like ‘Wet Hot American Summer,’ ‘Superbad,’ ‘Pineapple Express’ and ‘I Love You, Man,’ Joe Lo Truglio finally landed the role he’d been waiting for as Officer Charles Boyle on ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine.’ Now, the comedic actor has taken on an even bigger challenge, playing former Attorney General Jeff Sessions opposite Jeff Daniels’ James Comey and Brendan Gleeson’s Donald Trump in Showtime’s ‘The Comey Rule.’ We talk about how he transformed himself into the septuagenarian southerner without slipping into “parody,” how ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ plans to address the George Floyd protests in a “very real way” and a lot more.  Twitter: @JoeLoTruglio and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @joelotruglio and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pauly Shore rose to massive fame in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, first with his MTV show ‘Totally Pauly’ and then in hit films like ‘Encino Man,’ ‘Son in Law’ and ‘Bio-Dome.’ Now he’s back with his first starring role in a long time in the new movie ‘Guest House.’ In this episode, Pauly opens up about his early years growing up in The Comedy Store, the surreal experience of becoming one of the most famous people on the planet and the challenge of watching it all come crashing down more than 20 years ago. He also shares stories about meeting Donald Trump at MTV’s Spring Break, playing Stephen Miller for Funny or Die and a lot more. Stream ‘Guest House’ on Amazon Prime VideoTwitter: @PaulyShore and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @paulyshore and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emmy-nominated actor and director Ramy Youssef talks about creating his Hulu series ‘Ramy’ and what it’s like to be young and Muslim in the comedy world right now. He also discusses his HBO stand-up special ‘Feelings,’ growing up in New Jersey in the shadow of 9/11, how his Egyptian immigrant father ended up working for Donald Trump and a lot more.This episode was originally published on April 16th, 2019. Twitter: @ramy and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @ramy and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beth Stelling may have been the very last stand-up comedian to tape a special before the country shut down. Performed on March 7th, 2020 and released this past month on HBO Max, ‘Girl Daddy’ is Beth’s debut hour-long special and we should all be grateful she got it in under the wire. In this episode, we talk about how her own experience with sexual violence helped fuel some of the funniest #MeToo jokes ever committed to film and why she’s sick of answering for comedy’s male predators. Beth also talks about writing with past ‘Last Laugh’ guests Sarah Silverman and Pete Holmes, the experience of watching Richard Pryor for the first time during quarantine and why she is in no rush to get back on stage anytime soon. Twitter: @BethStelling and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @bethstelling and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best known for playing Leon Black on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ comedian JB Smoove is never not the funniest person in the room. That was certainly true when he wrote for ‘Saturday Night Live’ and took on legendary status for his outrageous pitches to hosts. In this episode, JB goes deep on his challenging SNL experience, making Larry David crack up on ‘Curb,’ what he thought of Donald Trump’s reaction to the MAGA hat plotline from last season and how the show might tackle life under quarantine in the upcoming 11th season. He also talks about co-starring in the new Quibi series ‘Mapleworth Murders’ and what it was like improvising with Kanye West in an infamous HBO pilot that never made it to air. Twitter: @ohsnapjbsmoove and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @ohsnapjbsmoove and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian and host of the ‘Gettin’ Better’ podcast Ron Funches is back on ‘The Last Laugh’ for this very special bonus episode. Since we last talked to Ron in April of last year about his Comedy Central special ‘Giggle Fit’ he has developed an all-new hour that he will be live-streaming on YouTube on Saturday, September 5th. He also has a new comedy game show called ‘Nice One’ premiering on Quibi next Monday, August 24th. In this catch-up chat, Ron talks about those projects and shares his thoughts on Joe Rogan, Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K. and more. Buy tickets to stream Ron Funches’ new live-stream special ‘Awakening’Twitter: @RonFunches and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @ronfunch and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedy icon Martin Short somehow turned 70 this year. And while he’s still capable of the unbounded energy he first showed the world on shows like ‘SCTV’ and ‘Saturday Night Live,’ he can also be more sincere and reflective than his biggest fans might expect. In this in-depth conversation, the man who’s known as just “Marty” to his famous friends tells hilarious stories about working with Steve Martin, performing for David Letterman, embodying Jiminy Glick and more. Plus, he breaks down what it took to transform himself into a #MeToo monster for his Emmy-nominated role on ‘The Morning Show.’Twitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comedian, podcast host, best-selling author and, until recently, one half of ‘2 Dope Queens’ with Jessica Williams. Now, she has officially gone solo, first with a new advice podcast called ‘Black Frasier’ and soon with her own Comedy Central talk show titled ‘Doing the Most’ in which she “big spoons” celebrity guests like Kevin Bacon and Tan France. We get into all of this, plus what it’s been like experiencing the resurgence of Black Lives Matter during a global pandemic and her thoughts on Kanye West’s “ignorant” attack on Harriet Tubman.  Twitter: @dopequeenpheebs and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @dopequeenpheebs and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedy legend John Cleese joins the show this week to talk about his first-ever live stream event ‘Why There Is No Hope.’ During this rousing conversation, he shares his take on the laughable “hypocrisy” of Donald Trump, why Monty Python steered clear of overtly political satire, his crusade against “woke” comedy and the people who were offended by the crucifixion scene in “Life of Brian.” He also reveals the biggest regret of his professional career and what he hopes his comedy legacy will be.  Twitter: @JohnCleese and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @johncleeseofficial and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview from next week’s episode, Monty Python co-founder John Cleese shares details about his upcoming live stream event ‘Why There Is No Hope,’ including his uncensored thoughts on the “complete assholes, who are really only out for themselves” like President Donald Trump and the time he told off Steven Spielberg. Subscribe to ‘The Last Laugh’ now to hear our full conversation when it’s released on Tuesday, August 4th. Buy tickets to live stream John Cleese’s ‘Why There Is No Hope’Twitter: @JohnCleese and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @johncleeseofficial and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week marks exactly eight years since comedian Tig Notaro opened her stand-up set in Los Angeles with the words, “Hello, I have cancer.” She now finally has a clean bill of health for the first time since 2012. In this episode, Tig opens up about moving on from ‘One Mississippi’ and Louis C.K., the fundamental silliness of her online talk show ‘Under a Rock’ and why decided to host her new advice podcast ‘Don’t Ask Tig.’ She also tells a hilarious story about the time she guest-starred on ‘The Office,’ shares an update on her forthcoming Netflix film in which she plays the first lady opposite Jennifer Aniston’s president and reveals that she has taken on a whole new career during quarantine. Twitter: @TigNotaro and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @therealfluffnotaro and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Dulcé Sloan likes to joke that she was “forced to move to New York because of success.” She’s still there, even though she’s been recording her ‘Daily Show’ correspondent bits from home for the past four months. On this episode, Dulcé reveals how her relationship with Trevor Noah has changed during the pandemic and what it’s been like trying to find comedy in the George Floyd protests. She also talks about her new podcast ‘That Blackass Show’ and previews how her input helped shape her role in the upcoming Fox animated series ‘The Great North’—in a way that a white actress voicing a Black character never could.  Twitter: @dulcesloan and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @dulcesloan and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Baumgartner spent nine seasons playing Kevin Malone on ‘The Office’—and yet sounds almost nothing like his iconic character in real life. This week, Brian launched his new podcast, ‘An Oral History of The Office,’ in which he interviews the show’s cast and creators about how it all came together and why it remains so massively popular seven years after they stopped filming. On today’s bonus episode of this podcast, Brian reveals which part he originally auditioned for, how he ended up as Kevin, why he thinks the show was more “woke” than people think, the moment Steve Carell made him laugh the hardest and more.Twitter: @BBBaumgartner and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @bbbaumgartner and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You might recognize Richard Kind from ‘Mad About You’ or ‘Spin City.’ Or from his voice work as the imaginary friend Bing Bong in Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ or John Mulaney’s character’s dad on ‘Big Mouth.’ This summer, he’s taking on the role of the inventor of the internet in the mockumentary ‘The Social Ones.’ On today’s episode, Richard talks about what it’s like to be just famous enough to work all the time but not famous enough to play himself on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’ (He plays Larry David’s cousin Andy and is hilarious.) He also shares showbiz stories about almost getting cast on ‘Seinfeld,’ playing Rudy Giuliani in last year’s ‘Bombshell’ and offers up some very strong opinions about Woody Allen. Twitter: @RealRichardKind and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @realrichardkind and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell has been hosting ‘United Shades of America’ on CNN since before Donald Trump was elected. With its fifth season premiere on Sunday, July 19th, the show gives Bell a chance to talk to people from every corner of the country about issues like guns, race and religion. He tells us how he learned to listen to people on the opposite end of the political spectrum, why he would never go on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, why he doesn’t mind performing for “woke” college students and a lot more.Twitter: @wkamaubell and @mattwilstein | Instagram @wkamaubell and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review.Buy ‘The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell’ on Amazon. This episode was originally published on May 7th, 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘The Last Laugh’ host Matt Wilstein joined his Daily Beast colleagues Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson on their podcast ‘The New Abnormal’ to interview Ben Stiller about Donald Trump’s ‘Zoolander’ obsession, playing Michael Cohen on SNL, Twitter rediscovering ‘Tropic Thunder’ and a lot more. Twitter: @RedHourBen and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @benstiller and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian J-L Cauvin went viral overnight at the start of the coronavirus pandemic when he started posting videos of his expert Trump impression online. J-L, who also hosts a podcast as the president called ‘Making Podcast Great Again,’ shares the story of his sudden rise to internet fame on today’s bonus episode. He demonstrates how he nails Trump’s unique stream-of-consciousness style, looks back at the Louis C.K. impression that first brought him viral success and shares his mixed feelings about “sharing the spotlight” with the internet’s other favorite Trump impersonator Sarah Cooper.Twitter: @JLCauvin and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1997, Robert Smigel put a dog puppet on his hand, started making poop jokes in a thick Russian accent and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was born. 23 years later, he’s still going strong. In this rare longform conversation, Smigel talks about how he pulls off his epic confrontations of politicians like Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham. He also opens up about his time writing for Conan O’Brien, ‘The Dana Carvey Show’ and SNL, where he created ‘TV Funhouse’ and ‘The Ambiguously Gay Duo’—an animated sketch he readily admits would not work in 2020. Robert explains why his eventual exit from SNL was “not pretty” and weighs in on Alec Baldwin’s “easy” satirical take on Donald Trump.Watch Triumph’s ‘Quarantine Squares’ game show on YouTube. Twitter: @TriumphICDHQ and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @triumphicdhq and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea Handler is a comedian, activist and best-selling author of the book ‘Life Will Be the Death of Me,’ which is available in paperback now. In this episode, Chelsea talks about the Trump-inspired midlife crisis that shifted her priorities away from celebrity culture and towards progressive politics. She also opens up about what she learned about systemic racism by making her 2019 Netflix documentary ‘Hello Privilege, It’s Me Chelsea,’ previews her upcoming stand-up special on HBO Max and reveals why she still thinks the president might be suffering from syphilis-induced dementia. Twitter: @chelseahandler and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @chelseahandler and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review.Order ‘Life Will Be the Death of Me’ on Amazon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Eric Andre is best known for pulling outrageous pranks on Adult Swin’s ‘The Eric Andre Show,’ which is finally returning for its long-awaited fifth season soon. But first, Eric is about to drop his debut hour-long stand-up special on Netflix, called ‘Legalize Everything,’ on June 23rd. In this episode, we talk about how the absurdity and hypocrisy of the police have been a running theme throughout his work, including in his upcoming prank movie ‘Bad Trip’ co-starring Tiffany Haddish and Lil Rel Howery, which will also premiere on Netflix later this year. Plus. Eric shares his uncensored thoughts on Joe Biden, Bill Cosby, Michael Richards and a lot more. Twitter: @ericandre and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @ericfuckingandre and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michaela Watkins was “rudely” fired by SNL after just one season. She has been proving them wrong ever since. This week, the comedian and actress opens up about celebrity activism in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, hosting a “Zoom shiva” for director Lynn Shelton, sex scenes from a “female lens” on ‘Casual,’ her rocky one season as a cast member on SNL and a lot more. Michaela also previews her role as a Marcia Clark-esque prosecutor on the upcoming third season of ‘Search Party.’Twitter: @michaelaWat and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @michaelawat and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ricky Gervais joins this week’s show from home in London to talk about his darkly funny and surprisingly moving Netflix series ‘After Life,’ which just got picked up for a third season. The comedian explains how he ended up creating a show about grief and shares his strong opinions about political correctness in comedy, free speech and cancel culture. Plus, Ricky looks back at his most controversial Golden Globes jokes and reveals what it was like to work with the late David Bowie on ‘Extras,’ Larry David on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and a lot more.  Twitter: @rickygervais and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @rickygervais and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ron Swanson has been “social distancing” his entire life. Nick Offerman, on the other hand, is a “social animal.” On this episode, the actor opens up about staying busier than ever under quarantine, from hosting his podcast “In Bed with Nick and Megan” with his wife Megan Mullally to tearing up at the end of the “Parks and Recreation” reunion special. Offerman also breaks down his most intense performance to date on ‘Devs,’ looks back on his earliest TV roles on ‘ER’ and ‘24,’ shares how his priorities have shifted on the cusp of turning 50 and a lot more.Twitter: @Nick_Offerman and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @nickofferman and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Patton Oswalt is here to talk about his new Netflix special ‘I Love Everything.’ The title is a huge turnaround from his 2017 special ‘Annihilation’ and on today’s episode Patton opens up about how far he’s come emotionally since the sudden death of his former wife, ‘I’ll Be Gone in the Dark’ author Michelle McNamara. The comedian, who turned 50 last year, also shares his unvarnished thoughts on the futility of making Trump jokes, why he thinks Fox News is the “height of evil” for pushing the country to reopen during a pandemic, and the fate he believes the Golden State Killer deserves. Then he looks back on highlights from his career, including his acting debut as a video store clerk on ‘Seinfeld,’ his late-night stand-up debut on ‘Conan,’ his epic ‘Star Wars’ filibuster on ‘Parks and Rec’ and a lot more. Twitter: @pattonoswalt and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @pattonoswalt and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Reno 911’ creators and stars Thomas Lennon, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Robert Ben Garant come together for this very special bonus episode of ‘The Last Laugh’ podcast. 11 years after the show ended its original run on Comedy Central, ‘Reno 911’ is back this month on Quibi. These three comedic geniuses tell us all about how it came together, what’s different this time around and what they’re most excited for fans of the show to see. Twitter: @thomaslennon, @KerriKenney and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @thomaspatricklennon, @kerrikenneysilver and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Jimmy O. Yang is best known for playing Jian-Yang on HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley.’ Now, he is finally revealing his true self to the world in a new stand-up special called ‘Good Deal,’ which is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. In this episode, Jimmy tells the story of how he broke into comedy after moving from Hong Kong to Los Angeles at 13 years old and why he thinks humor might be the best way to combat anti-Asian-American racism during the coronavirus pandemic. We also talk about why T.J. Miller’s dramatic departure from ‘Silicon Valley’ was the “end of an era” for him, the “life-changing” experience of appearing in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and a lot more.Stream ‘Jimmy O. Yang: Good Deal’ on Amazon Prime Video.Twitter: @FunnyAsianDude and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @funnyasiandude and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Wilmore is a comedy writer, producer, former host of ‘The Nightly Show’ and current host of the podcast ‘Black on the Air.’ In this episode, we go deep on the current state of comedy and politics, including how he feels the coronavirus pandemic has upended the race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump and why he thinks conservative podcast host Ben Shapiro is actually a “really nice guy.” Larry also shares behind-the-scenes stories from ‘The Daily Show,’ ‘The Office,’ and his infamous speech at President Obama’s final White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Twitter: @larrywilmore and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @ldub61 and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas Middleditch is best known for playing Richard Hendricks on six seasons of HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley.’ Now, he is leaving that ultra-specific persona behind to take on dozens of different characters alongside his friend Ben Schwartz in three new improvised comedy specials for Netflix called—what else?—‘Middleditch & Schwartz.’ In this episode, Thomas breaks down the tricky business of bringing live improv to the screen. Plus, he looks back on his big SNL audition, recalls almost starring in a spinoff of ‘The Office,’ expresses regret over telling ‘Playboy’ that swinging “saved” his marriage and a lot more. Twitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @tombini and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cameron Esposito made a huge splash in the comedy world seven years ago when she made her late-night stand-up debut on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. The other guest on the show, Jay Leno, called her the “future” of comedy and declared “Lesbians rule!” Since then, Cameron has created her own TV show called ‘Take My Wife,’ released a stand-up special called ‘Rape Jokes’ and this past month published a memoir with the inadvertently timely title ‘Save Yourself.’ On this episode, Cameron talks about all of that, plus getting “zoom-bombed” with hardcore pornography, starting to tell jokes about divorcing her ex-partner comedian Rhea Butcher, her current girlfriend’s battle with the coronavirus and a lot more. Twitter: @cameronesposito and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @cameronesposito and @lastlaughpodOrder 'Save Yourself' by Cameron Esposito.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eugene Mirman is perhaps best known for voicing Gene Belcher on ‘Bob’s Burgers.’ But as his new documentary ‘It Started as a Joke’ proves, he is also one of the most innovative and influential stand-up comics of his generation. In this episode, we check in with Eugene via Zoom from his home on Cape Cod before sharing the longer interview we taped with him before the coronavirus pandemic forced us all indoors. He talks about starting the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival “as a joke,” learning to get more personal in his comedy and of course, ‘Bob’s Burgers.’Twitter: @EugeneMirman and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @eugenemirman and @lastlaughpodStream ‘It Started as a Joke’ on Amazon Prime Video.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting next week, The Last Laugh returns with all-new episodes featuring great conversations with comedians about how they’re staying funny when the world around them is falling apart. Stay tuned!Twitter: @mattwilstein | Instagram: @lastlaughpodGo to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘The Last Laugh’ is still on hiatus, so this week we’re bringing you a very special crossover pod from our friend (and previous guest) Jeff Ross! On the latest episode of his podcast ‘Thick Skin,’ Jeff talked to Matt Wilstein about how “cancel culture” is affecting comedy and got into some “touchy subjects,” including the 2020 Democratic primary, getting retweeted by Donald Trump and of course, the coronavirus. No more “Bumping Mics,” now we’re bumping elbows.We will back with all-new episodes and some exciting guests very soon!Twitter: @realjeffreyross and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @therealjeffreyross and @lastlaughpodSubscribe to ‘Thick Skin with Jeff Ross.’Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pamela Adlon has had to reinvent herself several times over the course of her unconventional career. From child star (‘Grease 2’) to Emmy-winning voice actor (‘King of the Hill’) to creator and showrunner of her own phenomenal autobiographical series ‘Better Things,’ which premieres its fourth season on FX Thursday, March 5th. On this episode, we talk about all of that and more, including her audition for ‘Friends,’ a darkly hilarious story about Redd Foxx and why she’s still “proud” of the work she did on “Louie.”Twitter: @pamelaadlon and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @pamelaaddlon and @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The one and only Ben Schwartz is here for our 50th episode! This month, Schwartz is starring in two wildly different movies: the box office smash ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ as the titular video game hero and ‘Standing Up, Falling Down’ as a struggling stand-up comic opposite his actual childhood hero Billy Crystal. On this milestone episode of ‘The Last Laugh,’ he talks about getting his start writing jokes for David Letterman and SNL and how he almost missed out on the chance to play Jean-Ralphio on ‘Parks and Recreation.’ He also previews two upcoming projects for Netflix—a version of his improvised live show with ‘Silicon Valley’ star Thomas Middleditch and ‘Space Force,’ the new comedy series from ‘The Office’ creator Greg Daniels co-starring Steve Carell and John Malkovich.Follow @rejectedjokes and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russell Peters is a global comedy sensation who sells out arenas in London, New York and Mumbai, where he taped his most recent stand-up special ‘Deported,’ streaming now on Amazon. In this episode, Peters talks about how YouTube helped make him a comedy star, why mainstream fame has alluded him in America, his beef with Trevor Noah, his love for Roseanne Barr, why he does NOT have a problem with Apu from ‘The Simpsons’ and a lot more.Stream ‘Russell Peters: Deported’ on Amazon Prime Video.Follow @therealrussellp and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @russellpeters and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Papa might be best known for his longtime friendship with Jerry Seinfeld. But on this week’s episode he demonstrates that he has much more to offer. Tom talks about why he called his latest Netflix special ‘You’re Doing Great!’ and the various ups and downs of his career, from the crazy experience of hosting ‘The Marriage Ref’ to the way NBC may have used his sitcom ‘Come to Papa’ as an audition for Steve Carell to lead ‘The Office’ and a lot more.Follow @tompapa and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Bamford has been performing stand-up comedy for 30 years and just keeps getting better. Her latest hour-long special ‘Weakness Is the Brand’ finds her at the top of her game, delivering operatic bits about her ongoing mental health struggles and relentless drive to be a good person in the world. On this episode, we talk about how she arrived at relative stability, the challenges that female comics still face in a male-dominated industry, how she felt when Netflix canceled her autobiographical show ‘Lady Dynamite’ after two seasons and a lot more—including an unvarnished take on Louis C.K.Stream ‘Weakness Is the Brand’ on Amazon.Follow @mariabamfoo and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian Fortune Feimster made her TV debut 10 years ago on ‘Last Comic Standing.’ This week, her first-ever hour-long special ‘Sweet & Salty’ lands on Netflix. In this episode, Feimster talks about finding the comedy in her unique life story as a “tomboy” growing up in a small North Carolina town who didn’t realize she was gay until arriving in Los Angeles after college. She also shares stories about auditioning for SNL and finding mainstream success on ‘Chelsea Lately,’ ‘The Mindy Project’ and as the “female Homer” on ‘The Simpsons.’Follow @fortunefunny and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the ‘The Good Place’ series finale, creator Michael Schur is here to answer all of our burning questions about the existential sitcom, which airs its series finale at the end of January. On this episode, taped inside his office on the Universal Studios lot, Schur reveals how the final season of ‘Parks and Recreation’ helped influence the end of ‘The Good Place’, looks back at his early days as a writer for SNL, teases a potential future for ‘The Office’ on NBC’s Peacock streaming service and a lot more.Follow @KenTremendous and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrea Savage knows she’s a great podcast guest. “Not to brag,” she says on this week’s show. The creator and star of truTV’s ‘I’m Sorry’ talks about finding the balance between cringe-worthiness and comedy, the challenges she faced as a woman in The Groundlings, what she learned working on ‘Step Brothers,’ ‘Veep’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and her hilarious new podcast ‘Andrea Savage: A Grown-Up Woman #buttholes.’Follow @andreasavage and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Go to ratethispodcast.com/laugh to leave us a rating and review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedy legend Sacha Baron Cohen goes deep on all of the crazy things that happened during the filming of his Showtime series ‘Who Is America?’—including truly incredible stories about his interactions with Sarah Palin, O.J. Simpson, Ben Carson and more. He also talks about interviewing Donald Trump as Ali G. and reveals some big secrets behind his classic film ‘Borat.’This episode was recorded in front live audience as part of the SAG Conversations series at the SAG-Aftra Foundation in Los Angeles on May 21, 2019.Follow @SachaBaronCohen and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Sarah Silverman opens up about the cancelation of her Hulu show ‘I Love You, America’ and what it’s like to be a target of the alt-right. She also shares her thoughts on the #MeToo allegations against former Senator Al Franken and Louis C.K. and a lot more. This episode was originally broadcast as our series premiere on March 26, 2019.Follow @SarahKSilverman and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy birthday to Lil Rel Howery! Today, the comedian and actor turns 40 and is here to talk about his new HBO special ‘Live in Crenshaw.’ Directed by his friend and fellow comic Jerrod Carmichael, ‘Live in Crenshaw’ is unlike any other stand-up special released this year, both in how it looks and how it came together. As Rel reveals in this episode, he barely had time to prepare and had no idea exactly what he was going to say when he took the stage. We also discuss his early days in the Chicago comedy scene, his humble advice for idol Eddie Murphy and his iconic roles in films like ‘Get Out’ and ‘Bird Box.’Follow @LilRel4 and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iliza Shlesinger just dropped her fifth stand-up special on Netflix. It’s called ‘Unveiled’ and finds the self-described ‘Elder Millennial’ sharing hilarious stories about her wedding and everything that led up to it. In this bonus episode, the comedian opens up about facing criticism from women who think she’s “not doing feminism right,” explains how her ‘Last Comic Standing’ win turned into a nightmare, previews her upcoming sketch series for Netflix and a lot more.Follow @Iliza and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you know stand-up comedian Dan Soder from Showtime’s ‘Billions’ (he plays Mafee) or his Comedy Central SiriusXM show ‘The Bonfire’ (he co-hosts with comic Big Jay Oakerson) or are just meeting him for the first time, you will quickly realize that he has some very strong opinions and loves to talk. And on this episode, we get into it on everything from his new HBO special ‘Son of a Gary’ to his friend Shane Gillis’ firing from SNL and a whole lot more.Follow @DanSoder and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Birbiglia invites us backstage at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown LA where he has been performing his latest show all month long. This week, ‘The New One’ premieres on Netflix. Before he went on stage for one of his final performances this past weekend, Mike opened up about his unique process putting ‘The New One’ together and broke down his evolution from stand-up to theater (and why he doesn’t care how anyone wants to characterize what he does). We also discussed our mutual, unhealthy obsession with ‘Saturday Night Live.’Follow @birbigs and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 years after starring in the first major sitcom to center on an Asian-American family, Margaret Cho is more “hopeful” than ever about the opportunities for Asian-American comedians. In this episode, Cho talks about how she would approach that sitcom differently today and tells stories about dating director Quentin Tarantino and acting opposite Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. She also weighs in on Dave Chappelle’s recent jokes about the bisexual community and reflects on the backlash she received after portraying an exaggerated North Korean character alongside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes.Follow @margaretcho and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff Garlin had no idea when he helped come up with the idea that became ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ two decades ago that he would be starring the show’s 10th season this coming January. In this episode, Jeff reveals that season 10 features his “favorite” premise yet and talks about the process of putting together his new Netflix stand-up special ‘Our Man in Chicago,’ which includes some of the most personal material of his career. There are stories about daring ‘The Goldbergs’ to fire him after he made someone on set uncomfortable, his 2013 arrest for felony vandalism that he says led to the end of his marriage and a lot more.Follow @mattwilstein on Twitter and @jeffgarlin and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer, director, producer and stand-up comedian Judd Apatow invites us into his L.A. office for an in-depth conversation about all things comedy. We talk about his new Garry Shandling book and working on his upcoming film with Pete Davidson. Judd also weighs in on the so-called “civil war” in comedy, from fired SNL comic Shane Gillis—who called him “gayer than ISIS” in one of his controversial rants—to Louis C.K., who he thinks still deserves “criticism” for making fun of the Parkland shooting survivors. Plus, Judd looks back on some of his biggest movie hits and reveals the funniest person he’s ever worked with.Follow @JuddApatow and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Buy ‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Book’ on Amazon.Read Matt’s profile of comedian Gary Gulman at The Daily Beast.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda Seales has had many careers: Nickelodeon star, spoken word poet, MTV VJ, stand-up comedian, podcast host and actor—she plays Tiffany on HBO’s ‘Insecure.’ Now, she has added author to the list with her new book, ‘Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use.’ In this episode, Amanda opens up about making the transition from music to comedy, tensions within the ‘Insecure’ cast, confronting Caitlyn Jenner over her “white privilege” and a lot more.Follow @mattwilstein on Twitter and @amandaseales and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Buy Amanda’s new book ‘Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use’ on Amazon.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Kroll is an actor, stand-up comedian and co-creator of one of the funniest shows on television, ‘Big Mouth.’ Season three of the Emmy-nominated animated series just dropped on Netflix and Nick is here to talk about its unique place in pop culture. He also weighs in on ‘Joker’ director Todd Phillips’ controversial comments about “woke” culture and comedy, shares the story of auditioning for SNL alongside John Mulaney, teases the upcoming ‘Big Mouth’ spinoff show and a lot more.Follow @nickkroll and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Get ticket for Nick’s “Middle-Aged Boy Tour” at nickkroll.com.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lake Bell made her feature directorial debut with 2013’s ‘In a World...’ and has been on a roll ever since. Now, she has co-created ABC’s ‘Bless This Mess,‘ a sitcom on which she and Dax Shepard play a neurotic New York couple who move to a farm in Nebraska. In this episode, Lake discusses how her decision to ditch so-called “push-up bra” roles and fully embrace comedy on shows like ‘Children’s Hospital’ and ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ completely transformed her career for the better.Follow @lakebell and @mattwilstein on Twitter and @lastlaughpod on Instagram. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deon Cole started doing stand-up comedy on a $50 bet in his hometown of Chicago. 26 years later, his new special Cole Hearted is premiering on Netflix. Cole says he’s come too far to be “canceled” now: “I should be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, but this culture nowadays, they’re like, man, if you mess up it’s off with your head.” In this episode, Cole breaks own his comedic journey, which has included stints writing for Conan O’Brien and starring on ABC’s Black-ish and Grown-ish. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Follow @deoncole and @mattwilstein.Tour dates at deoncole.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For a short period two decades ago, Tom Green was one of the most famous comedians on the planet. He graced the cover of Rolling Stone, hosted Saturday Night Live and (briefly) married actress Drew Barrymore. These days, when he’s not touring the world as a stand-up comic, Green is mostly known for getting fired by Donald Trump on The Celebrity Apprentice and sharing a house with Anthony Scaramucci on Celebrity Big Brother. In this episode, the man who changed MTV with his infamous prank show opens up about his rise to fame and everything that’s happened since. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Tom @tomgreenlive and Matt at @mattwilstein.See Tom’s tour dates at tomgreen.com and order his new album on Amazon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Aukerman is the host of Comedy Bang! Bang!, co-creator of Funny or Die’s Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis and now the writer and director of Netflix’s Between Two Ferns: The Movie. In this episode, we talk about how he landed so many huge celebrity cameos for the new film, what it was like directing Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and—because it’s my favorite thing he’s ever done—making the Analyze Phish podcast with the late Harris Wittels. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Scott @ScottAukerman and Matt at @mattwilstein.Real our oral history of the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian Bill Burr just released his sixth hour-long special Paper Tiger on Netflix. In this episode, he speaks out against “outrage culture,” defends his controversial Michelle Obama jokes, shares his thoughts on Trump’s 2020 chances and insists he’s not as “angry” as everyone thinks. Plus, Bill teases some details about his role in the upcoming Star Wars series The Mandalorian. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Bill @billburr and Matt at @mattwilstein.Tour dates at BillBurr.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 years ago, Kevin Nealon was anchoring “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live. Now he's walking the woods with his famous comedian friends on the YouTube series Hiking with Kevin. In this episode, we talk about how that show got started and look back at his SNL days, including how he got hired, when he knew it was time to leave and some fascinating stories about Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Al Franken and more.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Kevin @kevin_nealon and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Self-described comedy “villain” Anthony Jeselnik has made a career out of telling expertly crafted, extremely dark one-liners, from his breakthrough set at the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump in 2011 to his most recent hour-long stand-up special Fire in the Maternity Ward on Netflix. In this episode, he talks about his new Comedy Central interview show Good Talk, how he thinks his comic persona will continue to evolve as he ages, what “surprises” him about Louis C.K.’s attempt at a comeback and a lot more.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Follow Anthony @anthonyjeselnik and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Nye (The Science Guy!) checks in this week to talk about his podcast (Science Rules!) and help preview next week’s Climate Crisis Town Hall event on CNN, which will feature the top 10 Democratic presidential primary candidates. Bill also looks back on his shout-fest “interview” with Fox News host Tucker Carlson and the catharsis of screaming obscenities about the warming planet on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Bill @BillNye and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are here to talk about the first six months of their Showtime late-night series Desus & Mero. We get into their close relationship with fellow Bronx-native Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, what it's been like to interview 2020 Democratic presidential candidates like Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker and Pete Buttigieg, their unlikely Twitter feud with Taylor Swift fans and a lot more. Desus and Mero returns to Showtime on Thursday, September 12th. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Desus @desusnice, Mero @THEKIDMERO and Matt @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation) stops by to talk about her new scripted podcast Ellie and The Wave and opens up about her disappointment over NBC canceling Abby’s, the first sitcom in which the lead character was a bisexual Latina woman. “So much for diversity!” she says. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Natalie @nataliemorales and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most successful stand-up comedians of all time, Jim Gaffigan just became the first comic to premiere a special with Amazon Prime Video. Quality Time, Gaffigan’s seventh hour-long special to date, finds the comedian getting back to basics like his weight and an inordinate number of horse jokes after dealing with his wife and writing partner Jeannie’s harrowing medical scare last year. In the episode, Jim opens up about that experience and explains why he’d rather make jokes about brain tumors than President Trump. He also weighs in on David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K., Bill O’Reilly, the Pope and a lot more.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.Follow Jim @JimGaffigan and Matt at @mattwilstein.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years, Jillian Bell has been stealing scenes in TV shows like Workaholics and movies like 22 Jump Street. This month, she has her first leading role in the hilarious and moving new film Brittany Runs a Marathon. On this episode, Jillian talks about getting her start as a writer on SNL, improvising with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld on Curb Your Enthusiasm, why her newest role “terrified” her and the latest on her gender-swapped reboot of Splash with Channing Tatum. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Jillian @jillianbell and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know Brett Gelman as Martin from ‘Fleabag,’ Murray from ‘Stranger Things’ and dozens of other characters who he says share one big trait: “toxic masculinity.” He’s also a brilliant improv and sketch comedy performer who relentlessly pushes the bounds of his art on every level. On this episode, we talk about how he got to where he is and what he wants to do next. Hint: It involves Kanye West. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Brett @brettgelman and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian and writer Whitney Cummings is here to talk about her brand new special ‘Can I Touch It?’ streaming right now on Netflix. Whitney explains why she decided to feature a sex robot version of herself in the special and breaks down her career as TV showrunner, from her debut on Whitney’ to the ‘Roseanne’ reboot that went down in flames last year to an exciting new pilot for Amazon that takes on PC college students. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Whitney @WhitneyCummings and Matt at @mattwilstein.Buy Whitney’s memoir I'm Fine... And Other Lies on Amazon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob Riggle spent 15 years in the Marines before landing his first real comedy job on the cast of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ It has seemingly been nothing but smooth sailing since then with stints on ‘The Daily Show,’ scene-stealing turns in films like ‘Step Brothers’ and ‘The Hangover’ and his most recent gig hosting ABC’s ‘Holey Moley.’ In this episode, Riggle opens up about the struggles he faced along the way, including what he describes as a ‘dysfunctional’ year at SNL and the highest-stakes audition imaginable for Jon Stewart. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Rob @RobRiggle and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special Friday episode of ‘The Last Laugh,’ Crooked Media co-founder and ‘Lovett or Leave It’ host Jon Lovett checks in to talk about ‘Pod Save America’s’ upcoming live benefit concert at the Greek Theatre as well as Trump’s racist tweets, the 2020 Democratic primary debates and his obsession with both Marianne Williamson and ‘Big Little Lies.’Get tickets for the Greek Theatre and Radio City Music Hall live shows at Crooked.com.Follow Jon @jonlovett and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jane Lynch, Emmy-winning star of ‘Glee’ and ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ talks about getting her big break at 40 in Christopher Guest’s ‘Best in Show,’ improvising with Steve Carell in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin,’ acting opposite Meryl Streep in ‘Julie and Julia’ and having a blast hosting NBC’s ‘Hollywood Game Night.’ Plus, how Ellen DeGeneres made it so she never had to ‘come out’ but rather just got to ‘show up.’Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Buy Jane’s memoir ‘Happy Accidents’ on Amazon. Follow Jane @janemarielynch and Matt at @mattwilstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Nate Bargatze broke through on Netflix’s ‘The Standups’ before premiering his own hour-long special ‘The Tennessee Kid’ on the streaming service earlier this year. But he’s about to get even bigger. Next up, he’ll be starring in a sitcom based on his life for ABC, executive produced by Jerrod Carmichael. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Follow Nate @natebargatze and Matt at @mattwilstein.Get tickets to see Nate on the road at NateBargatze.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Kathy Griffin opens up about the infamous photoshoot that changed her life and sounds off on President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., TMZ’s Harvey Levin, CNN’s Jeff Zucker, Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Alec Baldwin, Lorne Michaels, Jerry Seinfeld and a hell of a lot more. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Follow Kathy @kathygriffin and Matt at @mattwilstein.Get tickets to ‘Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story’ at FathomEvents.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Upright Citizens Brigade co-founder Matt Walsh talks about the end of HBO’s ‘Veep,’ reacts to the resignation of White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and previews the 21st annual Del Close Marathon, which is coming to Los Angeles for the first time after two decades in New York.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Get tickets at DelCloseMarathon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mindy Kaling broke through as a writer and star of ‘The Office’ and then ‘The Mindy Project’ and this summer she has taken those roles to new heights in her excellent new film ‘Late Night’ opposite Emma Thompson. In this episode, we talk about the complicated politics of that movie, Kaling speaks out for the first time about her controversial Instagram post supporting Aziz Ansari and reveals why she had to turn down her “dream” job at SNL.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Buy Mindy Kaling’s books on Amazon.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff Ross is always expanding his duties as Roastmaster General—most recently helming a series of ‘Historical Roasts’ for Netflix. This summer, he will be roasting Alec Baldwin for Comedy Central. In this episode, talks about casting Gilbert Gottfried at Hitler, “bumping mics” with Dave Attell and looks back at some of his most memorable moments roasting everyone from Donald Trump to Justin Bieber. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  See his tour dates at RoastMasterGeneral.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedy legend Sacha Baron Cohen goes deep on all of the crazy things that happened during the filming of his Showtime series ‘Who Is America?’—including truly incredible stories about his interactions with Sarah Palin, O.J. Simpson, Ben Carson and more. He also talks about interviewing Donald Trump as Ali G. and reveals some big secrets behind his classic film ‘Borat.’ This episode was recorded in front live audience as part of the SAG Conversations series at the SAG-Aftra Foundation in Los Angeles. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview of next week’s episode, Sacha Baron Cohen confirms something that has long been rumored about Pamela Anderson’s role in the ‘Borat’ movie and the unlikely effect her cameo had on her marriage to Kid Rock.Subscribe now to ‘The Last Laugh’ to hear our full conversation with the creator and star of Showtime’s ‘Who Is America?’ when it is released on Tuesday, June 4th.Find more from ‘The Last Laugh’ at thedailybeast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former ‘Daily Show’ correspondent Jordan Klepper discusses making the transition from playing an Alex Jones-inspired madman on ‘The Opposition’ to revealing his true self on the new Comedy Central docuseries ‘Klepper.’ Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just six years into her career as a comedian, Sam Jay has become one of the fastest rising stars in the comedy world. After joining ‘Saturday Night Live’ as a writer in the fall of 2017, the Atlanta-born, Boston-raised comic put out her first album ‘Donna’s Daughter’ and delivered a tight 15-minute banger of a set for Netflix’s ‘The Comedy Lineup.’ We recorded this very special bonus episode of ‘The Last Laugh’ from the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Buy Sam Jay’s album ‘Donna’s Daughter’ on Amazon.See her tour dates at SamJayComic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pete Holmes is a stand-up comedian, creator and star of HBO’s ‘Crashing’ and host of the podcast ‘You Made It Weird.’ Now, he’s become an author with the release of his new spiritual memoir ‘Comedy Sex God.’ In this episode, we talk about what drove him to write the book, how he found his voice as a comedian and sharing the screen with Artie Lange one last time in what ended up being the ‘Crashing’ series finale. As Pete would say, get into it!Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Buy ‘Comedy Sex God’ by Pete Holmes on Amazon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before hosting ‘Full Frontal’ on TBS, Samantha Bee was the longest-serving correspondent on ‘The Daily Show.’ And yet as she tells me in this week’s episode, Comedy Central didn’t even consider her as a possible successor to Jon Stewart when he stepped down four years ago. Bee opens up about that experience and a lot more, including her second ‘Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner,’ why she’s so disappointed with ‘handsy’ Joe Biden and what it felt like to have the president of the United States call for her to be fired on Twitter.  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell has been hosting ‘United Shades of America’ on CNN since before Donald Trump was elected. Now in its fourth season, the show gives Bell a chance to talk to people from every corner of the country about issues like guns, race and religion. He tells us how he learned to listen to people on the opposite end of the political spectrum, why he would never go on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, why he doesn’t mind performing for “woke” college students and a lot more.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Buy ‘The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell’ on Amazon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former ’Daily Show’ field producer and host of Adult Swim’s ‘Soft Focus’ Jena Friedman shares her secrets to getting people to embarrass themselves on camera. We talk about her uniquely feminist spin on the type of confrontational comedy that has traditionally been performed by men like Sacha Baron Cohen and Nathan Fielder, what she learned from Jon Stewart and Samantha Bee and what it was like to be working for Roseanne when ABC fired her.  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Watch ‘Soft Focus’ on Adult Swim.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Obama speechwriter and host of ‘Pod Save America’ and ‘Lovett or Leave It’ Jon Lovett invites us into his Crooked Media studio to preview the first comedy-free White House Correspondents’ Dinner since 2003. He also shares his thoughts on Donald Trump’s SNL obsession, allegations against Al Franken and Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic field, what it’s like to write jokes for the president of the United States and a lot more.  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  See Jon Lovett and the Crooked Media crew on tour.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comedian and actor Ramy Youssef talks about creating his new Hulu series ‘Ramy’ and what it’s like to be young and Muslim in the comedy world right now. He also discusses his New Jersey adolescence in the shadow of 9/11, how his Egyptian immigrant father ended up working for Donald Trump and a lot more.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand-up comic and host of the ‘Gettin' Better’ podcast Ron Funches talks about his new special ‘Giggle Fit,’ explains why he turned down Netflix for Comedy Central, shares his uncensored feelings about Louis C.K. and a lot more.  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Watch Ron Funches’ stand-up special ‘Giggle Fit’ on Amazon.  See Ron Funches on tour.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emmy-winning actor Tony Hale opens up about the final season of ‘Veep,’ admits he would be “very surprised” if ‘Arrested Development’ continues after its most recent batch of episodes on Netflix and gives us a sneak peek at what comes next in his career.  Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.  Buy Tony Hale’s ‘Archibald’s Next Big Thing’ on Amazon.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the premiere episode of ’The Last Laugh’ podcast, comedian Sarah Silverman opens up about the cancelation of her Hulu show ‘I Love You, America’ as well as her thoughts on the 2020 Democratic field, former Sen. Al Franken, Louis C.K. and much more.Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.