Obsessed: The Podcast

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Buy tickets for ‘Jessica Kirson: Disgusting Hawk’ at RushTix.com Stream her hour-long special ‘Talking to Myself’ on Amazon Prime Video. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Subscribe to the ‘Assembly’ podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Video Twitter: @PaulyShore and @mattwilstein | Instagram: @paulyshore and @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Order '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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod Stream ‘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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘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 @lastlaughpod Subscribe 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 @lastlaughpod 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices