Good One: A Podcast About Jokes

Jesse finally sits down with Gary Gulman to talk about a joke from his 2016 special It’s About Time. The joke is about an experience Gary had at Trader Joe’s, but it’s way, waaaaaaaay bigger than that. Gary takes his audience through TJ’s snack selection and into Narnia, making companions of old women on the Upper West Side, finally culminating in a rumination on the nature of New Yorkers and taking a stand when injustice rears its ugly head. Jesse and Gary dissect this joke from start to finish, picking apart word choice down to the syllable. Gary reflects on the inciting incident, as well as how his mental illness plays a part in the whole thing. Also included: someone finally tells Jesse how his tweets could be better.  For all of Gary’s tips, follow Gary on Twitter, and catch him live on the The Great Depresh Tour when he’s in your city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Fall 2018, we recorded a live panel discussion with the writers of The Good Place at Vulturefest LA. Moderated by Marc Evan Jackson, the panel guests reveal what comedy inspired them, how their writers room was formed, and offer advice to aspiring writers. Watch The Good Place on NBC, Hulu, Netflix, or a bunch of other places on the internet. Listen to The Good Place: The Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow [most of] the panel on Twitter:Marc Evan JacksonMike SchurMegan AmramJen StatskyJosh SiegalDylan MorganMatt Murray Cord JeffersonKassia MillerDan SchofieldAndrew LawChristopher EncellRae Sanni Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse speaks to standup comic, actor, and writer Rhea Butcher about two versions of their joke about being misgendered. The first iteration comes from Rhea's album Butcher, and the second was performed on one of Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson's 2 Dope Queens HBO specials. Rhea goes over the similarities and differences between each telling, along with how their identity and experiences shaped the joke's evolution. Follow Rhea on Twitter Listen to Rhea's podcasts Three Swings and Put Your Hands Together Listen to Rhea's special Butcher wherever you listen to things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse speaks with actor, comedian, writer and producer Lil Rel Howery live at Vulturefest in October 2018. The conversation centers around a joke Rel told on Martin Lawrence's 1st Amendment Stand Up in 2010, and ties into material from his 2015 stand-up special RELevent. Rel discusses family, his hometown Chicago, and the comedians that shaped him, like Bernie Mac and Robin Harris. Watch Rel in Rel on FOX. Follow Rel on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kenny and Keith Lucas, aka comedy duo The Lucas Brothers, sit down with Jesse to discuss a joke-in-progress about Bertrand Russell's A History of Western Philosophy. The two reflect on their relationship as brothers, identical twins, writing partners, travel companions, and performers while musing on the intersection of comedy and philosophy. Watch the Lucas Brothers' special on Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse’s back in the Late Night with Seth Meyers conference room with—wait for it—Seth Meyers! While there's plenty to talk about, the conversation centers around Seth writing the Documentary Now! episode Juan Likes Rice and Chicken. The two touch on Seth's parodies from when he was Head Writer at Saturday Night Live, along with his semi-autobiographical ties to Juan and Arturo.  Also included: Seth is unable to make Jesse’s tweets any better than they already are.  Season 3 of Documentary Now! starts February 20th, airing Wednesdays on IFC at 11p EST Late Night With Seth Meyers airs weeknights on NBC at 12:35/11:35c Follow Seth on Twitter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ray Romano sits down with Jesse to talk about his new Netflix special, Right Here, Around the Corner. The two go over Ray’s jokes about his son Joe, why he continues to see his family as a source of new material, and what made the Comedy Cellar the right place to tape his new special. Also, Ray does an impression of an impression of Ray Romano.  Watch Ray’s new special on Netflix.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 the former SNL head writers behind the Totino’s Trilogy. Jesse talks to them about the evolution of Vanessa’s nameless character, and draws parallels to Chris and Sarah’s new series The Other Two.  Highly recommended: watching the Totino’s Ad Trilogy. Part IPart IIPart IIIFollow Chris on Twitter! Sarah never uses Twitter. Watch Chris and Sarah's show The Other Two on Comedy Central, Thursdays at 10:30/9:30c Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 favorite sketch comedians are dogs or cats. Watch Difficult People on Hulu.Follow Julie on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Sebastian’s act outs to get a full picture of "Doorbell".Check out the interior of Sebastian and wife Lana Gomez’s house. Watch Sebastian’s new standup special “Stay Hungry” on Netflix.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices