PODCAST · comedy
Comedy History 101
by Harmon Leon
Comedian and journalist Harmon Leon dives deep into the wild, weird, and hilarious history of comedy. Each episode explores the backstories of legendary comedians, iconic sketches, cult classics, stand-up milestones, and forgotten gems from the comedy world. From SNL to viral videos, we unpack the moments that shaped what makes us laugh. Whether you're a hardcore comedy nerd or just comedy-curious, this is your crash course in the funny business. Subscribe now and discover how comedy got to where it is today—one punchline at a time. More: harmonleon.com comedyhistory101.com
Episodes
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From Happy Tree Friends, Sonic & Gumby to Autism & Creativity w/ Ken Pontac
What do Happy Tree Friends, Sonic the Hedgehog, Gumby, and Mr. Bumpy of Bumps in the Night have in common? Ken Pontac has been a creative force behind all these wonderfully bizarre projects Ken joins CH101 to talk about how dropping acid before an Eraserhead screening led to working on Gumby, why...
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Comedians Who Filmed Their Stand-Up Specials While Pregnant w/ Ophira Eisenberg
Ophira Eisenberg is known for hosting NPR’s Ask Me Another, The Moth mainstage, and her new stand-up special, I Used to Be Nicer. She also has the distinction of filming her previous special when she was 8 ½ months pregnant. Ophira joins Comedy History 101 to dive into the history of comedians…
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OJ Unseen: Exploitation of Evil — Inside O.J. Simpson’s Juiced Prank Show
O.J. Unseen: Exploitation of Evil is the new HBO Max doc series that revisits Juiced, O.J. Simpson’s trainwreck hidden-camera prank show. It was meant as a comeback project for the double “alleged” murderer. And, I, Harmon Leon was hired off Craigslist to be O.J. Simpson’s “funny little…
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You Can't Do That on Television w/ Abby Hagyard aka Mom
You Can’t Do That on Television defined Nickelodeon—and gave the world GREEN SLIME! Comedy History 101 talks to Abby Hagyard, who portrayed “Mom” on YCDTOT, to reveal the wonderfully weird history behind the Ottawa-based cult comedy classic. From working with a young Alanis Morissette to kids...
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Stairway to Stardom: An Audio Documentary
Stairway to Stardom was a legendary NYC public access TV show that gave singers, dancers, comedians, and dreamers a chance to become stars. It's a cult classic that fans include Bjork, Alec Baldwin, & Paul Scheer . Long before social media, there was a Manhattan cable show that let people perform...
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Inside The Comedy Store: Richard Pryor, Jim Carrey, Marc Maron and Tales of Comedy’s Most Famous Club
We dig into the CH101 archives for firsthand tales from The Comedy Store with Borat director Larry Charles, Emmy-winning Arrested Development writer Jim Vallely, comedian/voice actor Joey Camen, Marc Maron documentary writer/producer Julie Seabaugh, and Comedy Store vet Freddy Lockhart. Larry...
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How Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert & Steve Carell Built The Daily Show w/ Former Field Producer Evan Cutler
The Daily Show became a comedy institution when Jon Stewart took over from Craig Kilborn. Former The Daily Show field producer Evan Cutler reveals how Jon Stewart reinvented the show, why Stephen Colbert stood out from day one, how Steve Carell got his break, and why The Daily Show stopped making...
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How SCTV, The Kids in the Hall & The State Got Their Start: Sketch Comedy Origins
Go inside the origin stories of three of the most influential sketch comedy shows ever: The Kids in the Hall, SCTV, and The State. Kids in the Hall co-founder Kevin McDonald, SCTV writer Chris Cluess, and The State with filmmaker Matthew Perniciaro (director of Long Live The State!) share how…
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Mitch Hedberg’s Lost Cult Comedy: Los Enchiladas! with Co-Star Brian Malow
Mitch Hedberg is one of the most beloved and influential stand-up comedians in the history of comedy. He also made a movie, Los Enchiladas! Comedian/Los Enchiladas co-star Brian Malow takes us inside the wild, DIY making of Mitch’s rarely seen cult comedy, set in a Mexican restaurant in St. Paul,...
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Bob Illes: Emmy-Winning Comedy Writer Who Worked with Richard Pryor, Steve Martin & Lorne Michaels
Emmy winning comedy writer, Bob Illes, has been in the writers' rooms with some of the biggest names in comedy. From Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Martin Mull, Fred Willard, Bob Einstein, David Letterman, Lorne Michaels, and Norman Lear – to name a few. Bob…
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Palestine Comedy Club with Directors Regash & Charlotte Knowles
We talk with co-directors Charlotte Knowles and Regash about their film, Palestine Comedy Club. The acclaimed documentary follows a group of Palestinian comedians as they attempt to build a stand-up comedy scene under occupation—navigating checkpoints, restrictions, and censorship while using…
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SCTV, MADtv & SNL Stories with Emmy Winning Writer Chris Cluess
Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Chris Cluess has had a legendary career writing for SCTV Network, Cheers, Night Court, MADtv, and The Simpsons. Chris shares stories about John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, National Lampoon, and what made the SCTV Network writers’ room so special with John Candy,...
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Conan O'Brien, Team Coco & Clueless Gamer with Will Becton
CH101 SELECT: We go inside Team Coco, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and Clueless Gamer with Will Becton. Will shares his comedic journey from UCB and working on the documentary aka Tommy Chong, to becoming an original member of Team Coco, where he worked the entire run of CONAN on TBS and was the...
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Marc Maron Documentary: Are We Good? w/ Producer Julie Seabaugh
The Marc Maron documentary “Are We Good?” follows the comedian/WTF podcast host as he processes grief while creating some of the most personal stand-up material of his career. The film features insights from John Mulaney, David Cross, Nate Bargatze, W. Kamau Bell, and Laurie Kilmartin, exploring...
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The State: MTV's Cult Comedy Sketch Show
CH101 Reprise: The State was the MTV sketch show that launched the careers of Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Kevin Allison—and several more (the troupe had 11 members). From dorm-room sketches at NYU to comedy milestones like Reno 911…
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Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! w/ Director Michael Bonfiglio
I talk with Michael Bonfiglio, who, along with Judd Apatow, directed the new HBO documentary Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!. Michael shares behind-the-scenes stories from Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Spaceballs, and we explore how Mel Brooks reshaped American comedy.…
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Stairway to Stardom: The Greatest Public Access TV Show Ever w/ Mitch Friedman
Stairway to Stardom was a NYC public access TV show, described in The Onion as "without exaggeration, it was one of the greatest shows ever to be on television." Airing in the 70s through the early 90s, Stairway to Stardom was YouTube, before YouTube, and has fans ranging from Bjork to the Found...
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The Daily Show, MST3K, & Joke Farming w/ Elliott Kalan
Former Daily Show head writer Elliott Kalan (MST3K, The Flop House), Joke Farming) joins CH101 to discuss his new book, Joke Farming, and the nuts-and-bolts behind professional joke writing. We go inside the Daily Show writers’ room with Jon Stewart, why MST3K once had too many jokes, how…
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Comedy History 101: Best of 2025
We pulled together the sharpest moments from our 2025 interviews with comedy impresario guests - who shaped modern comedy: • Larry Charles: Writer and director of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, & Borat • Kevin McDonald: Founding member of Kids in the Hall • Ryan Cunningham: Producer of Broad…
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Broad City and the Comedy of Inclusion
Reprise Episode: Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer producer Ryan Cunningham and Gold Comedy founder Lynn Harris take us deep into the world of inclusive comedy and comedy as social change. From behind-the-scenes Broad City stories (yes, that pegging episode) to how diverse voices are reshaping…
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Larry Charles: Borat, Seinfeld & Comedy Samurai
CH101 Reprise: Larry Charles won an Emmy writing for Seinfeld, directed Borat, Brüno, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has collaborated with Larry David, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Bob Dylan . Larry joins CH101 for some serious comedy inside baseball: How he helped shape the voice of Seinfeld with Larry...
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SantaCon w/ Director Seth Porges
Before SantaCon became the most hated event in NYC history, it began as a San Francisco subversive experiment of fun by the same anarchic collective that spawned Burning Man and inspired Fight Club’s Project Mayhem. We talk to filmmaker Seth Porges, who has a new documentary about SanCon on how a...
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Kevin McDonald & Kids in the Hall
CH101 Reprise: Kevin McDonald is best known as a founding member of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy troupe – Kids in the Hall –which appeared on CBS, HBO, and Comedy Central, and had a revival season aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2022. Kevin joins CH!01 with tales of KITH, Winnipeg, &…
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United States of Comedy w/ Director Habib Yazdi
We go inside the PBS documentary series United States of Comedy with director Habib Yazdi. The five-part series spotlights diverse voices shaping stand-up comedy across America—capturing the next comedic generation redefining American comedy culture. Habib shares stories from filming United…
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Jimmy Kimmel Live w/ Adam Spiegelman
As you heard, they yanked Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air - because the Trump administration has declared a War on Comedy. Holy Overton window! In this reprise episode, we celebrate Jimmy Kimmel Live, and talk to Adam Spiegelman, who was a comedy producer for this iconic late-night talk show. Adam...
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Comedy Cellar w/ Dave Juskow
The legendary Comedy Cellar - is the Yankee Stadium of NYC comedy clubs. Founded in 1982, the club has helped launch the careers of Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Amy Schumer, Ray Romano...(you get the idea). In this reprise episode, we talk to comedian Dave Juskow, who is…
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John Candy, SCTV & Second City w/ Author Paul Myers
Before Hollywood, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, and Splash, John Candy was the heart of SCTV and Toronto’s Second City. Paul Myers, author of John Candy: His Life in Comedy, shares Candy’s comedic rise alongside Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Aykroyd, and Joe Flaherty—and his…
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Grease Airplane Rocky Horror Picture Show w/Casting Director Joel Thurm
Joel Thurm was the casting director for such iconic movies as Airplane, Grease, Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well being the head of NBC casting for a solid decade. He is also the author of the new book, Sex, Drugs, and Pilot Season. We do a deep dive into casting in Hollywood, turning down Tom...
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Conan O'Brien, Team Coco & Clueless Gamer with Will Becton
We go inside Team Coco, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and Clueless Gamer with Will Becton. Will shares his comedic journey from UCB and working on the documentary aka Tommy Chong, to becoming an original member of Team Coco, where he worked the entire run of CONAN on TBS and was the engineer of…
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Andy Kaufman with Director Alex Braverman
CH101 Reprise: We dive headfirst into the wonderfully weird world of comedian Andy Kaufman with director Alex Braverman, helmer of the new documentary Thank You Very Much. The doc explores Kaufman’s legendary career of comedy as performance art, wrestling women, and the high art of confusing...
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Johnny Carson: The King of Late Night
Before there was Fallon, Kimmel, or Colbert — there was Johnny Carson, the undisputed King of Late Night. We talk with Howard Smith, author of the book, My Friend Johnny, who was Carson's longtime Malibu neighbor, friend, and tennis partner. Howard pulls back the curtain on Carson’s private world…
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Larry Charles: Borat, Seinfeld & Comedy Samurai
Larry Charles won an Emmy writing for Seinfeld, directed Borat, Brüno, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has collaborated with Larry David, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Bob Dylan . Larry joins CH101 for some serious comedy inside baseball: How he helped shape the voice of Seinfeld with Larry David and…
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Arrested Development w/ Writer/Producer Jim Vallely
CH101 Select: Jim Vallely was a writer/producer on the iconic comedy show: Arrested Development – which earned him an Emmy. Jim also worked on The Golden Girls, Two and a Half Men, The John Larroquette Show, and got his start on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - with his comedy duo: The Funny...
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The State: MTV's Cult Comedy Sketch Show
The State was the MTV sketch show that launched the careers of Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Kevin Allison—and several more (the troupe had 11 members). From dorm-room sketches at NYU to comedy milestones like Reno 911, Stella, Viva Variety,...
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CH101 Select: The Mr. Bill Show - SNL Origins with Creator Walter Williams
Mr. Bill is one of the most iconic characters in the history of Saturday Night Live. This lovable, unlucky bundle of Play-Doh first appeared in the very first season of SNL as a viewer-submitted Super 8 film—and quickly rose to cult status. At the peak of his fame, Mr. Bill was ranked the third...
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The Def Jam Comedy of Canada: The Nubian Show
The Nubian Show — created by comedian Kenny Robinson — changed Canadian comedy forever. The Toronto showcase was the very first comedy show in Canada to feature comedians of color. Kenny and his monthly showcase at Yuk Yuk’s are also the subject of the new documentary People of Comedy (now...
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Broad City and the Comedy of Inclusion
Broad City and Inside Amy Schumer producer Ryan Cunningham and Gold Comedy founder Lynn Harris take us deep into the world of inclusive comedy and comedy as social change. From behind-the-scenes Broad City stories (yes, that pegging episode) to how diverse voices are reshaping the comedy…
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CH101 Select: Just for Laughs w/ Darren Frost
CH101 Select: Just for Laughs is the largest comedy festival in the world. Based in Montreal, the festival has helped launch the careers of such comedians as Jerry Seinfeld, Mitch Hedberg, Jimmy Fallon, Ali Wong, Amy Schumer, etc... Last year, the festival was canceled due to bankruptcy, but its...
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Rodney Dangerfield w/ Author Michael Seth Starr
We dive deep into the life and career of the comedian who gets “no respect,” Rodney Dangerfield. Author Michael Seth Starr joins Comedy History101 to talk about his new biography Nothin’ Comes Easy, revealing how Dangerfield clawed his way back into comedy at age 45, the origins of his famous...
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Andy Kaufman & Thank You Very Much with Director Alex Braverman
We dive headfirst into the wonderfully weird world of comedian Andy Kaufman with director Alex Braverman, helmer of the new documentary Thank You Very Much. The doc explores Kaufman’s legendary career of comedy as performance art, wrestling women, and the high art of confusing audiences. We talk...
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Kevin McDonald & Kids in the Hall
Kevin McDonald is best known as a founding member of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy troupe – The Kids in the Hall –which appeared on CBS, HBO, and Comedy Central, and had a revival season aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2022. Kevin joins CH!01 with tales of KITH, comedy in general, and his...
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Comedy History 101: Best of 2024
Comedy History 101 wraps up the year with our best interviews from 2024. Featuring episode excerpts from Arrested Development’s Emmy-winning writer Jim Vallely, Paul Bellini from Kids in the Hall, Joel Thurm – casting director Airplane and Grease, plus histories of The Comedy Cellar, Yuk-Yuks…
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CH101 Select: Chris Farley w/ Director Brent Hodge
CH101 Select: Chris Farley was one of the most dynamic and beloved comedians to ever grace the stage at both Second City and Saturday Night Live. And I talk to Brent Hodge, director of the documentary, I Am Chris Farley. We do a deep dive into the life and times of this amazing comedian. Learn…
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Gallagher w/ Director Josh Forbes
We talk to Josh Forbes, director of the new documentary on Gallagher, the comedian known for his signature bit, the Sledge-O-Matic, and his watermelon-smashing antics. Gallagher was one of the biggest comedians of the 80s and 90s and then drifted off to obscurity. You might remember Gallaher from...
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CH101 Select: Kliph Nesteroff: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars
CH101 Select: Kliph Nesteroff is one of the leading comedy historians and the author of the new book: Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars. And we talk about his book, censorship in comedy, how every generation declares that "comedy is over" - and how the old guard often refuses…
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The Grateful Dead Counterfeiter
A teenage hustler makes his living selling counterfeit tickets at Grateful Dead shows, hawking his fakes on every Shakedown Street around the country. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between Steven Marcus - the head of Grateful Dead ticketing and this teenage counterfeiter, which comes to a head at a...
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Trailer: The Grateful Dead Counterfeiter
Trailer For Our Upcoming Audio Documentary: The Grateful Dead Counterfeiter A teenage hustler makes his living selling counterfeit tickets at Grateful Dead shows. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between the head of Grateful Dead ticketing and this teenage counterfeiter. But as the heat turns up - an...
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The Mary Tyler Moore Show's Trailblazing Sitcom Writer Susan Silver
Susan Silver is a trailblazer in the world of sitcom writing. She began her career on The Mary Tyler Moore Show—during an era when comedy writing was overwhelmingly dominated by men. Starting as a casting director on the iconic show Laugh-In, she went on to write for The Bob Newhart Show, Maude,...
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The Comedy Store w/ Joey Camen
Joey Camen is a Comedy Store OG. He first started performing at the iconic club in Los Angeles in 1974, alongside such up-and-coming comedians as David Letterman, Sam Kinison, Jay Leno, Jim Carrey – and the legendary Richard Pryor. Joey has appeared on WTF and is also a renowned voice actor who…
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Paul Bellini & Kids in the Hall
Paul Bellini is noted as being the unofficial 6th Kids in the Hall, alongside Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Paul was one of the key writers for the Kids in the Hall's TV series and is also known onscreen as 'the guy in the towel.' Paul was there...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Comedian and journalist Harmon Leon dives deep into the wild, weird, and hilarious history of comedy. Each episode explores the backstories of legendary comedians, iconic sketches, cult classics, stand-up milestones, and forgotten gems from the comedy world. From SNL to viral videos, we unpack the moments that shaped what makes us laugh. Whether you're a hardcore comedy nerd or just comedy-curious, this is your crash course in the funny business. Subscribe now and discover how comedy got to where it is today—one punchline at a time.
More:
harmonleon.com
comedyhistory101.com
HOSTED BY
Harmon Leon
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Comedy History 101 have?
Comedy History 101 currently has 228 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Comedy History 101 about?
Comedian and journalist Harmon Leon dives deep into the wild, weird, and hilarious history of comedy. Each episode explores the backstories of legendary comedians, iconic sketches, cult classics, stand-up milestones, and forgotten gems from the comedy world. From SNL to viral videos, we unpack the...
How often does Comedy History 101 release new episodes?
Comedy History 101 publishes regularly with 228 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Comedy History 101?
You can listen to Comedy History 101 on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Comedy History 101?
Comedy History 101 is created and hosted by Harmon Leon.
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