Ross Shafer (Almost Live!/Late Show/Match Game)

Ross Shafer (Almost Live!/Late Show/Match Game)

From Ian Talks Comedy by Ian Fermaglich

May 23, 2026 · 60 min · Season 1 · Episode 315

About this episode

Ross Shafer discusses his journey in comedy, television, and the challenges he faced throughout his career.

Ross Shafer joined me to talk about watching Rusty Nails as a kid; flipping bikes, cars, houses, and businesses; college football; owning a stereo / pet store named Woofers and Tweeters; hamster drag racing; going to a comedy club when he had an ulcer; seeing there was a science there; trying it and getting good enough to win Showtimes Comedy Laugh Off; having a day job and not being able to move to LA; bombing on Alan Thicke's Canadian talk show; pitching Almost Live!; getting the show on the air on the fly; creating fame for little towns near Seattle; Louie, Louie campaign makes it a hit, but no one wants to syndicate; gets job to host Late Show but has to cancel remaining gigs; writers to Johnny Carson; Writer's Strike causes theme shows like TV reunions; Ozzy Osbourne; Hollywood Squares & Howard Stern; finding out Late Show is cancelled that morning; getting Match Game; memorable trip; Sally Struthers and Charles Nelson Reilly; Iraq War preempts show and ratings dive; began doing corporate gigs; his WOW versus POW theory; the book Love, Johnny by Mark Malkoff

People in this episode

Host: Ian Fermaglich

Guest: Ross Shafer

Topics covered

  • comedy
  • television
  • entertainment industry
  • personal anecdotes
  • career challenges
  • show business

Keywords

  • Ross Shafer
  • comedy clubs
  • Late Show
  • Match Game
  • Showtime
  • Iraq War
  • Writer's Strike
  • television history
  • humor

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Showtime, Late Show, Match Game

Books & works: Love, Johnny

Places: Seattle

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