Bob Kushell on The Simpsons, Stand Up, and Starting Over in Hollywood

Bob Kushell on The Simpsons, Stand Up, and Starting Over in Hollywood

From Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet! by Sarah Halstead

June 1, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 111

About this episode

Bob Kushell discusses his transition from TV writing to stand-up comedy and the challenges of reinvention in Hollywood.

Bob Kushell on The Simpsons, Stand Up, and Starting Over in Hollywood What happens when a veteran TV comedy writer steps away from the writers' room and starts over in stand-up? In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, hosts Sarah Halstead and Rich Chasler sit down with legendary television writer, producer, showrunner, and comedian Bob Kushell for a funny, candid, and deeply personal conversation about comedy, Hollywood, reinvention, and finding your voice again. Bob Kushell shares stories from his incredible career writing and producing some of television's most iconic shows, including The Simpsons, Dream On, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Grounded for Life, Anger Management, The Muppets, and more. He opens up about the realities of TV writers' rooms, the pressure of writing comedy at the highest level, and why stand-up comedy has become the most authentic creative work of his life. Over a bottle of 2020 Cab Franc from Absolution Cellars, the conversation explores the changing culture of Hollywood, public setbacks, personal growth, healing through comedy, and the courage it takes to begin again. If you love comedy podcasts, stand-up comedy, TV writing, Hollywood stories…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sarah Halstead, Rich Chassler

Guest: Bob Kushell

Topics covered

  • comedy
  • Hollywood
  • reinvention
  • stand-up
  • TV writing
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • Bob Kushell
  • The Simpsons
  • stand-up comedy
  • TV writing
  • Hollywood
  • comedy podcast

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Simpsons, Dream On, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Grounded for Life, Anger Management, The Muppets

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