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
Jul 07 Watch 2:57 Jim Gaffigan explains where he finds humor By PBS News Hour Comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan says he knew immediately that his life had changed the first time he got up on stage and made fun of himself. He gives his Brief but Spectacular take on comedy as a profession. Continue watching
Jun 30 Watch 3:39 Tig Notaro explains how to make breast cancer funny By PBS News Hour Comedian Tig Notaro lost her mother, ended a long-term relationship and got diagnosed with breast cancer all in the same year. It was, she says, more than she could handle, but it also spurred a writing spree that helped her… Continue watching
Jun 16 Watch When a comedian realized she could fight Islamophobia By PBS News Hour Growing up in Palm Springs, Iranian-American Muslim comedian Negin Farsad yearned to fit in. But as she grew older amid rising Islamophobia, Farsad realized she had her own people, and she could use her comedy to do more than make… Continue watching
May 26 Watch 2:12 Funnyman Tim Heidecker wants you to stop stealing content By PBS News Hour Comedian Tim Heidecker’s style has been described by critics as absurd, offensive, disgusting anti-comedy, but Heidecker politely disagrees. What he considers not funny, however, is the theft of his and other performers’ content. Illegal downloads makes it tougher for him… Continue watching