Comedy History 101

Stairway to Stardom was a legendary NYC public access TV show that gave singers, dancers, comedians, and dreamers a chance to become stars. It's a cult classic that fans include Bjork, Alec Baldwin, & Paul Scheer . Long before social media, there was a Manhattan cable show that let people perform with the same passion they had dancing in front of their bedroom mirror - without fear of being torn down by the trolls. In this Comedy History 101 audio documentary we explore the rise, fall, and unlikely rediscovery of Stairway to Stardom. Featuring interviews with archivist Mitch Friedman, Joe Pickett of the Found Footage Festival, Artist, HP Mendoza, and past STS performers Rich Halke, Lola Perazzo. All The Kings Men Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Chris Cluess has had a legendary career writing for SCTV Network, Cheers, Night Court, MADtv, and The Simpsons. Chris shares stories about John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, National Lampoon, and what made the SCTV Network writers’ room so special with John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, and Joe Flaherty. We also dive into MADtv, the SNL rivalry, and what it was like watching Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele rise before Key & Peele. A must-listen for fans of comedy history, SCTV, MADtv, SNL, and classic TV comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Marc Maron documentary “Are We Good?” follows the comedian/WTF podcast host as he processes grief while creating some of the most personal stand-up material of his career. The film features insights from John Mulaney, David Cross, Nate Bargatze, W. Kamau Bell, and Laurie Kilmartin, exploring Maron’s rise from alt-comic to podcast pioneer. Producer/writer Julie Seabaugh joins CH101 for a deep dive into Maron’s evolution as a comic, the rise of WTF, and how comedians turn personal pain into comedy material on stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I talk with Michael Bonfiglio, who, along with Judd Apatow, directed the new HBO documentary Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!. Michael shares behind-the-scenes stories from Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Spaceballs, and we explore how Mel Brooks reshaped American comedy. We also talk about Bonfiglio’s collaborations with Apatow, including co-directing George Carlin’s American Dream, and how Mel Brooks’ influence extends to comedy and filmmaking legends like Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, and even David Lynch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

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

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

We go inside the PBS documentary series United States of Comedy with director Habib Yazdi. The five-part series spotlights diverse voices shaping stand-up comedy across America—capturing the next comedic generation redefining American comedy culture. Habib shares stories from filming United States of Comedy, as we dive into creative resilience and what unites comedians across America. WATCH: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/united-states-of-comedy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The legendary Comedy Cellar - is the Yankee Stadium of NYC comedy clubs. Founded in 1982, the club has helped launch the careers of Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Amy Schumer, Ray Romano...(you get the idea). In this reprise episode, we talk to comedian Dave Juskow, who is a Comedy Cellar regular and host of the Comedy Cellar Tuesday podcast, on the history of this beloved and iconic club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joel Thurm was the casting director for such iconic movies as Airplane, Grease, Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well being the head of NBC casting for a solid decade. He is also the author of the new book, Sex, Drugs, and Pilot Season. We do a deep dive into casting in Hollywood, turning down Tom Cruise and Madonna, and insider stories on Taxi, David Hasselhoff, and what role Bob Hope played in getting Seinfeld on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before there was Fallon, Kimmel, or Colbert — there was Johnny Carson, the undisputed King of Late Night. We talk with Howard Smith, author of the book, My Friend Johnny, who was Carson's longtime Malibu neighbor, friend, and tennis partner. Howard pulls back the curtain on Carson’s private world — from secret card games with Steve Martin, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, and Martin Short, to the personal joke-writing advice Johnny gave Jay Leno. We also get tales of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Weintraub, and even a Carson monologue name-drop that sent Howard’s high school friends into a frenzy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices