Comedy Podcasts: your suggestions please

they do describe the show on their website as "a podcast that only takes 15-20 episodes to get." when hayes was on the best show a couple of weeks ago they agreed that the kumail ep is a good starting place but that's behind the paywall now. there was a "best of" episode at one point too, but that was several years ago. the ron funches episode recently was intended to be the intro for new people, or that was the premise, but it's not an amazing ep imo.

going back, maybe the andy daly episode if you've listened to other earwolf stuff? it's heavily based on references to other podcasts but that's a common theme

Yeah the Andy Daly one is a good call for eps currently outside the paywall

unfortunately, the ones i'd go to first are probably behind the paywall at this point. the episode where they play a late-period george carlin bit and joe mande has to pass it off as his is absolute all-time.

Andy Daly is a marquee CBB guest for me and love most of his characters so that sounds like a promising way in for this listener at least!

although maybe not the best place to start because you probably need some knowledge of the show history, "the masked engineer" episode of HHB is at least execution and concept-wise a masterpiece.

guys HH is not hard to "get"

ime it takes about 2-5 minutes to know whether these guys are for you. it's not The Wire

it took me 2-5 min to realise the wire was for me tbh

ok good point

Tbf, and I’m pretty sure I posted this somewhere, I’m definitely closer to that 15-20 episodes to get it demo HH talks about, although it wasn’t thaaaat many episodes.

The "mythology" of a lot of these podcasts is pretty imposing at this point. Even seemingly innocuous or straight-ahead podcasts like Are You Talking REM Re:Me go down so many rabbit holes, they just can't help themselves.

I listened to an episode or two of "How Did This Get Played" (about bad video games) and I'm on the fence. So many podcasts either veer to the radically, indulgently surreal (like Comedy Bang Bang) or embrace an obnoxious Morning Zoo vibe.

Haven't read it yet, but here's a new story about high profile figures jumping into podcasts:

https://variety.com/2019/digital/features/podcast-boom-conan-o-brien-gimlet-spotify-luminary-1203306477/

that Joe Mande-Carlin episode was the first HH I heard, probably a good entrance. I could tell there were some in-jokes (like the Chef Kevin stuff) but it's pretty straightforward. I couldn't figure whether some things were jokes or not: the impending cancellation talk, advertisers being mad about the ad-reads, guests not knowing the format of the show, etc.

another classic one that is unfortunately behind the paywall is sean and hayes commenting on their own terrible live appearance at comiccon

getting cancelled is a joke, mad advertisers and guests not knowing the format are not jokes (though they've gotten better at cutting down on uninformed guests in recent years, that was more of a problem early on)

the comiccon episode is where i got on board

Even seemingly innocuous or straight-ahead podcasts like Are You Talking REM Re:Me go down so many rabbit holes, they just can't help themselves.

tbf it was 47 months before the first episode of R U Talkin' REM Re: Me? that they switched to a deliberate rabbit-hole format

I was able to enjoy the insane rabbit holes and lack of actual discussion on U Talkin' U2 To Me? because I don't care all that much about U2. As an REM stan I couldn't listen to Talkin REM because it was obvious that Adam is a megafan and I actually wanted to hear some discussion of the music? Can't believe it's gone on this long tbh though, maybe they found a groove and I should check it out again (though I don't expect that particularly criticism to change)

important bulletin if you like Hollywood Handbook and/or Doughboys you'll be glad to learn that Chef Kevin and Yusong now have their own pcast called Maybe Don't which is very charming

there's loads of megafan discussion of the music on Talkin' REM, but they rarely mention the band at all in the first 45-60 minutes of an episode

if you enjoyed the "college girls / t-shirts" runner in the main sequence of U2 episodes, then [SPOILER] you should be pleased by the last few REM episodes, in which half of R.E.M. have separately agreed to reform the band and play Scott's backyard barbecue.

they do talk about the music a decent amount on the REM podcast but basically scott doesn't know any of the albums after like monster or automatic for the people and adam is very inarticulate. every song is "amazing" and "incredible"

Making it through that first 45-60 minutes can be a struggle

iirc they placed so many limitations on the backyard guest list that I'm not sure this REM reunion will happen.

Big start to the 2nd annual Try Month

https://www.earwolf.com/episode/david-sedaris-our-storytelling-friend/

ha i was just going to revive this thread for that purpose
pretty good ep, sedaris gets in a good dig right at the very end

"I guess it's a contest and I guess Bret won."

great ep

I have started on HH from the begin in. It's funny but a little repetitive/samey atm

So much awaits you

Quite a try month double down on HH this week. The Sinbad ep is pure joy and light in a dark time.

yes i'm so glad they got sinbad back if even for only an """in-studio""" show

This is funny because I was thinking of the earlier Sinbad episode - one of the best early ones - when Simon mentioned he was listening through from the start.

scharpling/klausner podcast "double threat" coming early april

this week's hollywood handbook with klausner and ayo edebiri was off the rails but got really good. i kind of want a standalone HH thread

It’s basically this thread at this point but I’d post in it

Where Sean has at least three cats sitting on him so he can’t easily podcast
https://youtu.be/mk8hnGBzTU8

"what made you think of that?"

silby finally started a standalone hollywood handbook thread: I love you and I'm in love with you: Hollywood Handbook thread

i'm still catching up on double threat but so far it's been worth it just for tom scharpling's louis CK impression

So "Bonanas for Bonanza" from the Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project is its own series now, on Earwolf.

Maria Bamford totally steals the Bonanza podcast.

Which episode of double threat has scharpling’s impersonation of Louis CK?

I find this very escapist and amusing: Oh, Hello: the P'dcast.

i haven't read this yet but looks like fun

https://www.vulture.com/article/best-comedy-bang-bang-characters.html

that was fun! lots of deep cuts and characters i had forgotten about. leo carpazzi at #1 is weird though the monster fuck does kill me every single time. i would've gone with bob ducca or dalton wilcox at #1 but brendon small's vocal coach character might have made me laugh the hardest i've laughed at anything.

Don Dimillo way too low

Louis is back!! https://theinterrobang.com/louis-ck-announces-and-releases-conversations-with-his-girlfriend/

jfc

Louis, a webcam and a young female comedian. This isn't going to end well.

I am a man of simple tastes, but Jason Mantzoukas may be the first celebrity I'd want to be my friend.

https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--hq_qTi3A--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_470/c_crop,g_north_west,h_626,w_470,x_-16,y_-116/g_north_west,u_upload:v1462829015:production:blanks:mtl53ofohwq5goqjo9ke,x_-411,y_-441/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1590898798/production/designs/10808964_0.jpg

it would be hard to navigate his deathly egg allergy tho

it was pretty funny that Scott and Scott abandoned their Red Hot Chili Peppers podcast after one episode and switched it Talking Heads after making RHCP merch and all

i was wondering if i had talked about episode one in the thread and i now see that i mentioned it... 2 and a half years ago. i have no idea how i have been listening to it that long, it still feels brand new to me and is still (or at least, is now) my favourite podcast.

cant believe it didn't come up again when they dropped the brilliant joe biden episode. i guess that's on me! im currently early in a "listen to the entire show all over again" run.