#1 - Cathy Ladman

What happens when two comedians who have watched the comedy business transform over decades sit down and compare notes? Helen Keaney welcomes award-winning comedian, writer, actress and comedy coach Cathy Ladman for a candid, funny and occasionally serious conversation about stand-up comedy, show business and what it takes to build a career that lasts. Cathy’s career spans more than four decades across stand-up, television writing and acting. She has made 10 appearances on The Tonight Show and won the American Comedy Award for Best Female Stand-Up Comic; written for hit television series including Roseanne and Caroline in the City; and appeared as an actress in shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family and Mad Men. But this episode goes well beyond the credits. Helen and Cathy dig into how stand-up has changed in the age of TikTok, social media and follower counts, and whether popularity is beginning to overshadow the actual craft of comedy. They talk about women in stand-up, aging onstage, career pivots, motherhood, comedy clubs versus theaters, working clean, finding your authentic comedic voice and why great joke writing often comes down to rewriting, specificity and making the material unmistakably your own. Cathy also shares hard-earned advice for newer comedians about developing original material, focusing on the work instead of comparing yourself to everyone around you, and navigating a comedy industry that looks very different from the one she entered decades ago. It’s an insightful conversation between two longtime comedians about stand-up comedy, women in comedy, joke writing, show business, career longevity and staying funny while the industry changes around you.