Oct 23 David Letterman receives Mark Twain Prize for humor By Ashraf Khalil, Associated Press Several of the comedians honoring Letterman took shots at President Donald Trump and the general state of the country. More than one comedian quipped that the Kennedy Center's funding was about to be cut off mid-show. Continue reading
Oct 14 Gentrification is awkward, painful and funny in this new web series on North Oakland By Ivette Feliciano The comedy tells the story of the three friends who struggle to stay rooted in their historically black and Latino community as it faces changing racial and class dynamics. Continue reading
Oct 07 Trump hits back at late night shows critical of Republicans By Philip Marcelo, Associated Press President Donald Trump lashed out Saturday against late night television show hosts who have been sharply critical of his administration and Republicans. Continue reading
Aug 02 This all-girl Asian-American comedy group delivers biting satire with K-Pop cuteness By Rebecca Oh Through song and satire, AzN PoP! skewers the Asian-American experience and takes sharp digs at stereotypes and whitewashing -- though disarmingly. Continue reading
May 12 What makes comedian W. Kamau Bell laugh By Elizabeth Flock “Comedy is like expensive cheese,” comedian W. Kamau Bell once said. “Well, it’s like cheese, in general. Everybody likes what they like, and everything they don’t like, they think is the worst.” That may be the case, but still… Continue reading
Dec 11 Watch 4:31 ‘Not That Jewish’ is a comic roadmap to Jewish-American life By Christopher Booker, Melanie Saltzman Monica Piper has worked in nearly every corner of comedy, including stand-up and television. Now, she’s lent her comedic pen to “Not That Jewish,” a one-woman Off-Broadway show, starring Piper as herself. It chronicles the origins of her life in… Continue watching
Nov 17 Watch 7:24 ‘Daily Show’ host Trevor Noah turns an outside perspective into funny observation By PBS News Hour As “The Daily Show” host, South-African born comic Trevor Noah offers a different, outsider’s perspective from Jon Stewart, the man he succeeded. Noah speaks with Jeffrey Brown about how the show is handling the election of Donald Trump and how… Continue watching
Oct 14 Watch 6:58 The candidates’ flaws are a laughing matter for Seth Meyers By PBS News Hour From the "birther" controversy to beauty queens, this year’s presidential election has granted endless fodder for late-night comedians. How do Seth Meyers and his fellow talk-show hosts strike a balance between political analysis and humor? Meyers joins Jeffrey Brown to… Continue watching
Sep 23 Watch 5:04 Carl Reiner on being a comedian and Mel Brooks’ best friend By PBS News Hour Carl Reiner never thought about going into comedy growing up. That was until he met Mel Brooks. A friendship that started in 1961 with the “2,000-Year-Old Man” skit, the two close friends now have a nightly movie date. Reiner gives… Continue watching
Aug 29 Gene Wilder, star of comedies ‘Blazing Saddles’ and ‘Young Frankenstein,’ dies By Larisa Epatko For anyone who’s heard the “Oompa Loompa” song or Frankenstein pronounced as “Fronkensteen,” Monday's news of actor Gene Wilder’s death cuts deeply. Wilder died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease at age 83. Continue reading