Good One

Jesse David Fox and Moshe Kasher deconstruct a joke about heaven from Moshe's 2013 "Live From Oakland" special -- it's a bit that's evolved over time, as he first tried a much shorter version of the joke on his 2009 album. They talk about religion, Moshe's 2017 Comedy Central show "Problematic", and how Moshe mastered the art of "highbrow-lowbrow."BONUS: At the end of the episode, we've got a special preview of Moshe's new comedy album, Crowd Surfing, which comes out January 24, 2020. Live in Oakland is available on all streaming platforms.Featuring: Moshe Kasher (@MosheKasher).Host: Jesse David Fox (@JesseDavidFox) is Senior Editor at Vulture.Subscribe to Good One on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode originally aired on May 8th, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.Follow Nikki on Twitter and Instagram, and check out her website for her upcoming live shows.This episode originally aired on October 29th, 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ok, here we go. The most requested joke/sketch/idea for this show, ever.Recorded live from Vulture Festival 2019 in LA, it's the first ever "Live Oral History" featuring one of the year's best pieces of comedy."Ford Focus Group" is a sketch from Netflix's I Think You Should Leave. It stars writers and creators Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, along with Ruben Rabasa, who plays a boisterous but endearing participant in a focus group for a car development. Hilarity ensues.Director Akiva Schaffer also joins to discuss the creation and execution of this sketch, from development to writing to casting to shooting to reception.Also included: Someone with only great car ideas.Watch the sketch here.This episode was recorded on November 10th, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aaaaaaand we're back. Jesse and Vulture Staff Writer Kathryn VanArendonk continue their review of the year's ten best standup specials, counting down numbers 5 to 1.Discussed in this episode: Nikki Glaser - Bangin' Gary Gulman - The Great Depresh Mike Birbiglia - The New One Anthony Jeselnik - Fire in the Maternity Ward Lil Rel Howery - Live in Crenshaw This is Part 2 of a 2-part episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As 2019 draws to a close, Jesse and Vulture Staff Writer Kathryn VanArendonk review her ranking of the year's ten best standup specials, with some added honorable mentions.Discussed in this episode: Nate Bargatze - The Tennessee Kid Whitney Cummings - Can I Touch It? Wanda Sykes - Not Normal Julio Torres - My Favorite Shapes Emily Heller's - Ice Thickeners Bill Burr's - Paper Tiger Roy Wood Jr. - No One Loves You This is Part 1 of a 2-part episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In another live panel recorded at Vulturefest 2019 in LA, we're bringing you the first ever Party Down reunion. Jesse talks with the show's creators and stars about what went into casting the show, and then runs through their favorite episodes and moments. Everyone talks about how much they got paid, Megan has a wig, Martin talks about "playing" with other actors, and the panel agrees that while there probably won't be a movie, there's bound to be new Party Down coming down the line at some point. Also included: Woah. I can't believe he showed up for this. This episode was recorded on November 10th, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded live at Vulture Festival 2019 in LA, holy shit, it's a live Community reunion! The cast and creators of the hit show Community talk about their favorite episodes and moments from the series. Jim raps, Danny does the Batman voice, everyone talks about Chevy and Donald, there was a scene that got cut where Shirley was supposed to poop in a drawer? Everyone gushes about the fun and hard work that went into the show, on camera behind the scenes. A story about being on the set of War of the Worlds gets repeated a couple times. It's great. Also included: movie? This panel was recorded on November 10th, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of people tell us we should talk to Maria Bamford, and you know what? They're right. They're so right that we're re-airing the episode she was on two years ago. The interview focuses on the commencement speech she gave at the University of Minnesota—her alma mater—in which she discussed the negotiations that took place to arrive at her fee for said speech, along with a long list of the mistakes she'd made in her life. Maria talks frankly about her financial status, and how to deal with being lowballed. The conversation also touches on Maria's relationship with her audience, the evolution of her specials, and how her struggle with unwanted thoughts affected her comedy. This episode is one of the most detailed looks at the business side of comedy, and is a must listen for anyone who's ever needed to negotiate their monetary worth in any field. Also included: a fart noise. Watch the speech here. Follow Maria on Twitter and Instagram, and check out her live dates on her website. This episode originally aired on October 27th, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse talks to Ron Funches about his short but sweet joke "F Linda". The "F" in this joke title stands for f**k, so you're going to hear the word f**k a lot. Wait, where are those stars coming from. I can't type f**k here? Ok. Fine. Moving on. "F Linda" is just over a minute and half long, but Ron Funches achieves maximum hang time in between the few words that comprise the joke. Jesse asks Ron about how true the joke is (it's true), his singsong delivery and how he allows his audience time to catch up with the joke. Also included: A joke from Ron's kid. Follow Ron on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to or watch Ron's latest special Giggle Fit wherever you listen to or watch comedy. Here's one of those places! This episode originally aired October 29, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode from Season 1, Jen Kirkman looks at the closer of her 2017 special Just Keep Livin'? She and Jesse start at the very kernel of this joke, going back to its inciting incident in a Starbuck's parking lot in North Carolina. Jen took that event and incorporated it into her act that night, and kept reworking it at subsequent shows. From there, Jen built a whole drama around the character she encountered in that parking lot. Realizing the joke's potential to close out her show, Jen took the larger conversation on street harassment and constructed a bit around it. Every element of the joke is a tool she consciously employed to make the topic something that could simultaneously crack the audience up while making them slightly more aware of the innate horror of unsolicited compliments from strangers on the street. Jesse asks Jen to describe her strategy when crafting this special, and the two analyze the origins of its political undertones. Also included: the first joke Jen ever told. See Jen live. Follow Jen on Twitter. This episode originally aired March 27th, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices