Good One

It’s sequel time! Sort of. On a Good One episode from way back in the year 2018, Jesse asked Vanessa Bayer about Saturday Night Live's series of ad parodies for Totino’s pizza rolls. What started as a take on gender stereotypes in advertising evolved over the next two years into a surreal X-Files promo, and ultimately a triumphant, French romance film trailer. Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider are t...

Jesse talks to actor, comedian, writer, and friend Julie Klausner about a seemingly random joke from her Hulu series Difficult People. Recorded live at Union Hall in Brooklyn, the two talk about equal treatment of male and female genitalia in comedy, Julie’s writing process on Difficult People, and much, much, much more. ALSO: a super secret surprise guest. ALSO ALSO: get ready to find out if your...

Jesse talks to comedian Sebastian Maniscalco about the creation of one of his most well-known jokes, “Doorbell”. Not only does Sebastian have a new Netflix special out, but at the time of the interview he was days away from headlining a weekend of stand-up shows at Madison Square Garden. Listen to how Sebastian refined his act-outs, and how nostalgia and disbelief came to shape his comedy. Watch S...

Welcome back to Good One. We missed you dearly. For our Season 5 premiere, comedian, actress, and improviser Nicole Byer invited Jesse over to talk about the opening jokes of her new Netflix special, Aggressively Adorable.  For more Nicole check out Comedians of the World and Nailed It! on Netflix and listen to her on What the Tuck? A RuPaul's Drag Race Podcast and Why Won't You Date Me? wherever...

With all of his standup specials, records, and multiple roles in TV and film, Sinbad has no shortage of material to dissect. But when Jesse reached out to to ask what joke Sinbad wanted to discuss on the podcast, Sinbad didn’t want to pick one. Why? Because he doesn’t write his act in the way that most other comedians do. Sinbad will build an entire routine from a fleeting thought in the moment wh...

Years before creating and starring in the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rachel Bloom wrote and performed a musical sketch about a young actress’s obsession with Space Jam, the 1996 animated and live-action crossover starring Michael Jordan and a bunch of Looney Tunes. Jesse and Rachel talk about the compromise she made between musical theater and sketch comedy. Along the way they discuss the importanc...

Laurie Kilmartin is a stand-up comedian and writer for Conan. She's also cohost of the podcast The Jackie and Laurie Show along with comedian Jackie Kashian. Laurie discusses the formation of her 2017 Conan set, finding a new muse 20-years into her career, and how to know when to inform the audience that “Domingo” is Spanish for “Sunday”. Read Laurie’s tweet about joke transitions here. Learn more...

Mike Birbiglia cemented his style of comedic storytelling in specials like Sleepwalk With Me, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, and Thank God For Jokes. He’s also the writer and director of Don’t Think Twice and the movie adaptation of Sleepwalk With Me. Now, his latest show, The New One, is running on Broadway. In this episode, we’re talking about an earlier one of Mike’s jokes—his Celebrity Golf story,...

Kenan Thompson and collaborator Bryan Tucker have been working on SNL together for years. In August 2017, they debuted Kenan’s take on NBA personality Lavar Ball. It went over so well that the impression returned for three additional Weekend Updates. Jesse asks Kenan and Bryan about how they come up with their best work that spans 16 seasons of SNL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...

Comedian Max Silvestri and writer Leah Beckmann have been together for seven years. They have a dog. For years Max hosted the New York alt-comedy showcase Big Terrific, which Leah had been to a couple of times before approaching Max on the subway to say hi. Fast forward to today, when Jesse sits down with the couple to discuss what it’s like to be written about as a significant other, the vetting...

Nikki Glaser asserted herself as a ruthless and talented roaster at Comedy Central's Roast of Rob Lowe in 2016, so it was no surprise that she was invited back for Bruce Willis in 2018. Nikki walks Jesse through the roast process from start to finish, explaining the massive undertaking that is writing effective insults. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse and Chris Gethard discuss the transition from improviser to stand-up comedian, and then dissect the quintessential “Gethard Joke.” Chris recounts wrapping The Chris Gethard Show, his ambitious HBO special Career Suicide, and what’s problematic about applying the idea of “swim at your own risk” to live comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian, actress, and author Phoebe Robinson (2 Dope Queens, You Can’t Touch My Hair, Ibiza) talks Jesse through getting a swimming lesson from Julia Roberts on the Adriatic sea—what she calls one of her life’s “Non-Trash Moments” in her forthcoming book Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay. Phoebe explains her writing process, along with her love for abbreviations, typos, and mixed metaphors. Learn...

In the Season 4 premiere of Good One, Nick Kroll discusses the difference between shame and guilt and how both concepts factor into writing a show like Big Mouth, which returned October 5th for its second season on Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the season finale of Good One, Jesse and Aparna Nancherla (Just Putting It Out There, Comedy Central's Corporate, Netflix's The Standups) discuss how depression and anxiety came to be a part of her act, how her jokes about mental health have been received over time, and the inherent stress of interacting with babies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse talks to Will about the Last Man on Earth’s final scene, the show’s journey, and what would have come next if the show hadn't been cancelled. Recorded live in Montreal at the 2018 Just for Laughs Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New York based Naomi Ekperigin is quickly becoming an influential voice in modern comedy. She’s worked as a staff writer for Broad City and Great News, and was listed as one of the "20 Comedians You Should and Will Know" by Vulture. Jesse talks to Naomi about a joke from her most recent set on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Learn how Naomi crafted her tight 5 for late night, how she writes comedy co...

Reggie Watts doesn't write jokes. With nothing but a microphone and some looping pedals, he crafts one-of-a-kind musical improv comedy. So on this special episode of Good One, Reggie improvises a song in the studio and we break down his process. He explains his love for improv over scripted comedy, his passion for science and technology, and shares his experiences making music on different drugs a...

Vanessa Bayer stops in to discuss the creation of her character Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy. She talks about her formative years of comedy, Judaism, and how the process of writing a subtle and specific character evolved each time Jacob returned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Bo Burnham, writer and director of the feature Eight Grade, was interviewed live at Vulturefest. Vulture senior editor Jesse David Fox and Bo discuss his auto-tuned rant that closed out Burnham's Netflix special titled 'Make Happy.' They dissect Bo's relationship to audience, comedy, authenticity and performance- and how that informed his vision as he makes his directorial debut. This we...

Jimmy Fallon drops by to talk about his bit 'Do Not Play,' sharing songs so bad that you just have to listen to them. Fallon discusses finding his calling with the Tonight Show, a variety show and an institution, with the mission of putting a smile on your face before bed. He delves into the value of a silly bit inside of a show like his and reflects on his career, now and for the next twenty year...

Patton Oswalt talks about the process of writing comedy in the face of real and personal tragedy. Oswalt's passion for crafting jokes, turns of phrase, and the way in which he talks about the world were thrown into intense perspective as he dealt with the loss of his wife, and the responsibility to care for his also grieving daughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...

In a special edition of Good One recorded live at Clusterfest, host Jesse David Fox discusses the process of creating the Daily Show with a panel of writers including Trevor Noah, Dulce Sloan, Michael Costa, Desi Lydic, Ronny Chang, Roy Wood Jr. This week's episode is sponsored by Spotify! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Cross breaks down a joke from early in his career about the fast casual chain COSI's attempt to make the bagel 'cool.' He discusses balancing material between the silly, serious, and political, as well his his relationship to the South. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cameron Esposito discusses a joke about the misrepresentation of sexual assault in popular culture. In this interview with Jesse David Fox, Cameron speaks to the challenge of sharing her own experience, drawing the audience in, and creating a space to perform the kind of material that confronts through humor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices