Episodes

  • The Daily Show, MST3K, & Joke Farming w/ Elliott Kalan

    The Daily Show, MST3K, & Joke Farming w/ Elliott Kalan
    Jan 12 2026
    Former Daily Show head writer Elliott Kalan (MST3K, The Flop House), Joke Farming) joins CH101 to discuss his new book, Joke Farming, and the nuts-and-bolts behind professional joke writing. We go inside the Daily Show writers’ room with Jon Stewart, why MST3K once had too many jokes, how comedians write jokes on deadline, why inspiration is overrated, and how audiences complete every joke. A behind-the-scenes look at joke writing, comedy craft, and how humor helps us make sense of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Comedy History 101: Best of 2025

    Comedy History 101: Best of 2025
    Dec 22 2025
    We pulled together the sharpest moments from our 2025 interviews with comedy impresario guests - who shaped modern comedy: • Larry Charles: Writer and director of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, & Borat • Kevin McDonald: Founding member of Kids in the Hall • Ryan Cunningham: Producer of Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer • Alex Braverman: Director of Thank You Very Much on Andy Kaufman • Will Becton: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Team Coco, Clueless Gamer • Paul Myers: Author of John Candy: A Life in Comedy • Michael Seth Starr: Author of Rodney Dangerfield: Nothing Comes Easy • Seth Porges: Director of Class Action Park and the new Santacon documentary Plus Jean-François Brisson with the Nubian Show and a special Canadian Comedy History 101 recap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Broad City and the Comedy of Inclusion

    Broad City and the Comedy of Inclusion
    Dec 12 2025
    Reprise Episode: Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer producer Ryan Cunningham and Gold Comedy founder Lynn Harris take us deep into the world of inclusive comedy and comedy as social change. From behind-the-scenes Broad City stories (yes, that pegging episode) to how diverse voices are reshaping the comedy landscape, we explore why women being “gross” on screen was a cultural breakthrough—and how laughter can be a tool for empowerment, visibility, and social impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • Larry Charles: Borat, Seinfeld & Comedy Samurai

    Larry Charles: Borat, Seinfeld & Comedy Samurai
    Nov 21 2025
    CH101 Reprise: Larry Charles won an Emmy writing for Seinfeld, directed Borat, Brüno, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has collaborated with Larry David, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Bob Dylan . Larry joins CH101 for some serious comedy inside baseball: How he helped shape the voice of Seinfeld with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld The chaos behind Borat's infamous poop-bag dinner scene What it was really like making subversive comedy with Sacha Baron Cohen Get the inside scoop on one of comedy's most fearless minds and check out Larry's new book: Comedy Samurai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • SantaCon w/ Director Seth Porges

    SantaCon w/ Director Seth Porges
    Nov 6 2025
    Before SantaCon became the most hated event in NYC history, it began as a San Francisco subversive experiment of fun by the same anarchic collective that spawned Burning Man and inspired Fight Club’s Project Mayhem. We talk to filmmaker Seth Porges, who has a new documentary about SanCon on how a subversive performance-art happening turned into a worldwide holiday of drunken chaos that’s now belittled by the likes of John Oliver, Colin Jost, Jimmy Fallon and all of NYC. You might know Seth’s previous HBO Max documentary, Class Action Park, about America’s most dangerous amusement park. SantaCon premieres at DocNYC, Nov 13th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Kevin McDonald & Kids in the Hall

    Kevin McDonald & Kids in the Hall
    Oct 24 2025
    CH101 Reprise: Kevin McDonald is best known as a founding member of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy troupe – Kids in the Hall –which appeared on CBS, HBO, and Comedy Central, and had a revival season aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2022. Kevin joins CH!01 with tales of KITH, Winnipeg, & comedy in general. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    49 mins
  • United States of Comedy w/ Director Habib Yazdi

    United States of Comedy w/ Director Habib Yazdi
    Oct 13 2025
    We go inside the PBS Independent Lens documentary series The United States of Comedy with director Habib Azar. The five-part series spotlights diverse voices shaping stand-up comedy across America—from the clubs of New York and Chicago to the stages of Atlanta and Austin—capturing the next generation redefining American comedy culture. Habib shares stories from filming during the pandemic, discovering rising comics in dive bars and brewery backrooms, and how The United States of Comedy became his own “comedy grad school.” We dive into local scenes, creative resilience, and what unites comedians across the United States. WATCH: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/united-states-of-comedy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live w/ Adam Spiegelman

    Jimmy Kimmel Live w/ Adam Spiegelman
    Sep 19 2025
    As you heard, they yanked Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air - because the Trump administration has declared a War on Comedy. Holy Overton window! In this reprise episode, we celebrate Jimmy Kimmel Live, and talk to Adam Spiegelman, who was a comedy producer for this iconic late-night talk show. Adam was at Jimmy Kimmel Live right from the start, and we do a deep dive into producing comedy and comedians for Kimmel, where he brought such comedians as Neil Hamburger, Eddie Pepitone, and Andy Dick to the airwaves. Adam gives the lowdown of what he looked for when booking standup comedians for the Kimmel show. Also, remember, boycott parent company Disney, for yanking Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    56 mins