POTD: Johnny Carson on 60 Minutes

May 22, 2020 | Comedians, Television

On the 28th anniversary of Johnny Carson’s final “Tonight Show,” let’s look back at the time he allowed Mike Wallace to profile him for “60 Minutes” in 1979. Wallace got Carson to open up about his problems with alcohol and tobacco,...

Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything

May 20, 2020 | Comedians

Though Patton Oswalt is known for his work as an actor in plenty of TV shows and a few movies, it has always been his standup comedy I’ve enjoyed most. Like all great comedians, he has the ability to see the silliness in small things and expand on it, turning it...

Happy Birthday, Mr. Reiner!

Mar 20, 2020 | Comedians, Movies, Television

Happy 98th birthday to comedy legend Carl Reiner, who I’m happy to say was a guest on my radio show more times than almost anyone else. Here’s the audio of just some of his appearances with me… My conversation with Carl Reiner about his book,...

Marc Maron, “End Times Fun”

Mar 13, 2020 | Comedians

Last June, Martha and I had the great good fortune to see Marc Maron perform at a local comedy club (read my review here). Though I’d been a fan of his for a long time, this was the first time we’d seen him in person. At the time, it was clear he was working out...

Get Well Soon, Will Durst

Nov 29, 2019 | Comedians

I’m very saddened to read that an old friend, comedian Will Durst, suffered a stroke last month, causing him to cancel performances for the first time in his career. I’ve known Will for over 30 years. He has long been one of America’s top political...

Arsenio Misses

Nov 7, 2019 | Comedians, Television

I was disappointed by Arsenio Hall’s Netflix standup special, “Smart and Classy.” While never a huge fan, I did like some of the things he did on his syndicated late-night show in the 1990s, particularly in having many guests who were never booked by...