Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz

Judy Gold has had stand-up specials on HBO, Comedy Central, and appeared on Netflix’s Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration . She is the author of the critically acclaimed Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come For The Comedians, We Are All In Trouble , a book all about free speech and cancel culture. She has also made numerous appearances on MSNBC, CNN, and News Nation as a free speech advocate. The book...

Nimesh Patel was born in New Jersey to immigrant parents. When he are up he moved to New York City and attended NYU where he got his degree in finance before pursuing comedy. He started his comedy career performing stand-up at the Stress Factory. In 2015 he was discovered by Chris Rock while performing inBrooklyn and was a part of Rock’s writing team for the 88th Academy Awards which earned him a...

Nimesh Patel was born in New Jersey to immigrant parents. When he are up he moved to New York City and attended NYU where he got his degree in finance before pursuing comedy. He started his comedy career performing stand-up at the Stress Factory. In 2015 he was discovered by Chris Rock while performing inBrooklyn and was a part of Rock’s writing team for the 88th Academy Awards which earned him a...

Dave Sirus is a writer, comedian, and actor who has worked on  Saturday Night Live ,  Triumph the Insult Comic Dog , co-wrote  The King of Staten Island , and co-created Peacock’s original series  Bupkis  which released earlier this year to rave reviews. He started as a stand-up comedian in high school and eventually found success with the YouTube channel Brick Stone.  Dave is a frequent collabora...

Dave Sirus is a writer, comedian, and actor who has worked on Saturday Night Live , Triumph the Insult Comic Dog , co-wrote The King of Staten Island , and co-created Peacock’s original series Bupkis which released earlier this year to rave reviews. He started as a stand-up comedian in high school and eventually found success with the YouTube channel Brick Stone.  Dave is a frequent collaborator w...

Adam Ferrara is a tremendous actor and comedian whom I’ve had the pleasure to know for a very long time in this business. He is known for co-hosting the BBC’S  Top Gear U.S.  for six seasons. He also starred on the Emmy-nominated FX drama  Rescue Me  with Denis Leary. He also featured on a number of episodes in the critically acclaimed  Nurse Jackie  starring Edie Falco. Some of his film appearanc...

Adam Ferrara is a tremendous actor and comedian whom I’ve had the pleasure to know for a very long time in this business. He is known for co-hosting the BBC’S Top Gear U.S. for six seasons. He also starred on the Emmy-nominated FX drama Rescue Me with Denis Leary. He also featured on a number of episodes in the critically acclaimed Nurse Jackie starring Edie Falco. Some of his film appearances inc...

Keith and Kenny Lucas are brothers, actors, comedians, and writers currently rising as two of the freshest new faces on the comedy scene. Their first stand-up special,  Lucas Brothers: On Drugs , premiered on Netflix in 2017. They also made appearances in season one of Netflix’s critically acclaimed  Lady Dynamite . They also created their own animated series  Lucas Bros Moving Co  which aired for...

Keith and Kenny Lucas are brothers, actors, comedians, and writers currently rising as two of the freshest new faces on the comedy scene. Their first stand-up special, Lucas Brothers: On Drugs , premiered on Netflix in 2017. They also made appearances in season one of Netflix’s critically acclaimed Lady Dynamite . They also created their own animated series Lucas Bros Moving Co which aired for two...

Troy Bond is currently one of the fastest rising stars in the New York comedy scene and all around the country. He began his career at 16 years old writing jokes and started performing at 17 where he became addicted to the laughter from the crowds and knew he had found his calling. Before he was even a senior in high school, Bond appeared in the Quick Improv interview on The Tonight Show with Jimm...

Kirk Fox is an actor, writer, producer and award-winning stand-up comedian. Fox was the host of the syndicated daytime conflict talk show  The Test  and had a recurring role on NBC’s hit comedy  Parks and Recreation  as Sewage Joe. Other acting credits include Nickelodeon’s  How to Rock , NBC’s  Community ,  The Carmichael Show ,  The Mick , and as a series regular on CBS’s hour-long dramedy  Rush...

Kirk Fox is an actor, writer, producer and award-winning stand-up comedian. Fox was the host of the syndicated daytime conflict talk show The Test and had a recurring role on NBC’s hit comedy Parks and Recreation as Sewage Joe. Other acting credits include Nickelodeon’s How to Rock , NBC’s Community , The Carmichael Show , The Mick , and as a series regular on CBS’s hour-long dramedy Rush Hour . F...

Don Reo is a producer, television writer, and author, who was an executive producer on  Two and a Half Men  and the creator of  Blossom  and  The John Larroquette Show for NBC,  My Wife and Kids  on ABC, and  Brothers  on FOX. He began his 40-year+ career writing for iconic comedians such as Slappy White, Red Fox and Jackie Gleason, and went on to write episodes for classic shows like  M*A*S*H , ...

Don Reo is a producer, television writer, and author, who was an executive producer on Two and a Half Men and the creator of Blossom and The John Larroquette Show for NBC, My Wife and Kids on ABC, and Brothers on FOX. He began his 40-year+ career writing for iconic comedians such as Slappy White, Red Fox and Jackie Gleason, and went on to write episodes for classic shows like M*A*S*H , Rhoda , Mar...

Godfrey is an American comedian and actor  While performing impressions of his college football teammates, Godfrey realized his irreverent style of comedy might be more than just a hobby and found his passion in stand up. After graduating college with a degree in psychology, he moved to New York and landed a gig warming up studio audiences for  The Cosby Show . As one of the most dominant forces i...

Godfrey is an American comedian and actor  While performing impressions of his college football teammates, Godfrey realized his irreverent style of comedy might be more than just a hobby and found his passion in stand up. After graduating college with a degree in psychology, he moved to New York and landed a gig warming up studio audiences for  The Cosby Show . As one of the most dominant forces i...

Gavin Polone began his career as an assistant at ICM IN 1985. After becoming an agent, he joined Bauer/Benedek which became United Talent Agency, where Gavin was made partner at age 29. In 1996 he became a manager and producer when he partnered with Judy Hofflund to form Hofflund/Polone which led to being an executive producer on the Emmy-nominated HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm and the CW’s Gilm...

Gavin Polone began his career as an assistant at ICM IN 1985. After becoming an agent, he joined Bauer/Benedek which became United Talent Agency, where Gavin was made partner at age 29. In 1996 he became a manager and producer when he partnered with Judy Hofflund to form Hofflund/Polone which led to being an executive producer on the Emmy-nominated HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm and the CW’s Gilm...

Steve McPherson is the former president & chairman of the ABC TV Entertainment Group, overseeing both the studio and network operations.  Under his visionary leadership, he is credited with orchestrating one of the most dramatic network turnarounds in history, transforming  ABC’s fortunes with iconic shows like Lost,Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing With The Stars, and Modern Famil...

Steve McPherson is the former president & chairman of the ABC TV Entertainment Group, overseeing both the studio and network operations.  Under his visionary leadership, he is credited with orchestrating one of the most dramatic network turnarounds in history, transforming  ABC’s fortunes with iconic shows like Lost , Desperate Housewives , Grey’s Anatomy , Dancing With The Stars, an...

Illeana Douglas is an award-winning film and television actress, writer, director, and producer. Beginning her career as a stand-up in New York, she was once asked to dub screams for The Last Temptation of Christ , leading to a long collaboration with director Martin Scorsese, during which she appeared in several of his films including GoodFellas and Cape Fear . She has appeared in numerous televi...

Illeana Douglas is an award-winning film and television actress, writer, director, and producer. Beginning her career as a stand-up in New York, she was once asked to dub screams for The Last Temptation of Christ , leading to a long collaboration with director Martin Scorsese, during which she appeared in several of his films including GoodFellas and Cape Fear . She has appeared in numerous televi...

Kenya Barris is a prolific writer and director, known to many as the creator of the hit Emmy winning series Black-ish, a show loosely based on his own life. After leaving ABC he signed a 9-figure deal with Netflix to direct his first feature film, You People, starring Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy which is out now. Some of his other writing credits include the 2017 comedy Girl’s Trip, the new Disney...

Kenya Barris is a prolific writer and director, known to many as the creator of the hit Emmy winning series Black-ish, a show loosely based on his own life. After leaving ABC he signed a 9-figure deal with Netflix to direct his first feature film, You People, starring Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy which is out now. Some of his other writing credits include the 2017 comedy Girl’s Trip, the new Disney...

Rachel Watanabe-Batton is a film and television producer and founder of production company, Contradiction and Struggle. Some of her many credits include By Any Means Necessary, I Pity The Fool with Mr. T, HBO’s Cutting Edge, her debut narrative film Once You’re In, and most recently the Disney+ original film, Sneakerella, which was nominated for 11 Emmy awards, winning 4 of them.