My Opening Line

Siobhan O'Loughlin, host of the news-making traveling bathroom show Broken Bone Bathtub, discusses what it was like growing up in a family that supported the arts (WHAT?!) and the shows and situations that led to a documentary about her global immersive theater project about trama, vulnerability, and connection.

With 20 years of hard-learned experience and advice, stand-up comedy staple Joe DeVito talks about his work as a journalist, advertising writer, praised comedian of stage and screen, and funnyman on cruise ships.

Summer House's Hannah Berner began her entertainment career studying drama in a performance arts middle school before creating her own viral sketch videos and memes. After her intense work with the popular media company Betches, she joined the Bravo reality show and recently began performing stand-up comedy. While making her own way and creating her own rules, Hannah became a force to be noticed in drama, comedy, and reality TV.

Keith and The Girl legend and Redacted Tonight correspondent John F. O’Donnell shares his stand-up beginnings at age 12, taking his show on the road, and being a featured act on Comedy Central. Even mental breakdowns couldn’t stop John’s creation of 50 First Jokes from taking off in multiple cities, and he reminisces about the highs and lows working as a political correspondent on television. Then he tells you how to watch his new hour-long special The Manic-Depressive Chocolate Fountain Operator for free.

Keith’s girlfriend (and a comic who has performed worldwide for over a decade, including multiple military tours) discusses early stand-up influences including Rita Rudner and the blatant sexism that has carried over from then to now. Guest Kyle Ocasio talks about her first performances as a new mom in a miserable relationship with newly deceased parents. She talks about Keith’s yearly stand-up show, having Vinny from Jersey Shore as an MC, and receiving lightbulbs as a gift from Keith. She discusses working on Fox News’s Red Eye, working with staunch conservatives, performing stand-up about her 3 kids in front of them, and upsetting family with jokes.

HBO stand-up veteran Gina Brillon is here to discuss her early days performing in front of fellow students into a hairbrush, professionally starting stand-up at 17 with her identical twin sister, and the lesson on how she became comfortable in her own skin. Gina describes the worst heckling of all time, her mistake in trying to handle it, and the host that literally ran to the stage to dismiss her. Gina takes us through her journey that includes The Latino Circuit, the politics of diversity, Just for Laughs, television, and teary-eyed parents.

Whether it’s starring in commercials, acting in voiceover work, entertaining an audience through improv, written sketches, or songs, Katharine Heller is as well-rounded an artist as they come. But she’s on this show now, so you know you’re about to hear about her insane beginnings. This time The Beginnings include an artistically jealous and competitive father and, unrelated, unknowingly eating male ejaculation on stage. Enjoy. Not the ejaculation. I mean this episode.

After her first stand-up experience (at an open mic night while plastered), Andrea Allan still knew she wanted to perform stand-up comedy. After a roast battle (where she bombed on stage while literally being completely naked), she still knew she wanted to perform stand-up comedy. After this and that (all heartbreaking and jaw-dropping), she still knew she bla bla bla. Despite established creeps and verified assholes, she’s come out the other side with her debut album and a skill and presence like no other.

From putting together a bringer show of 60 people to performing multiple times on late night TV, Lenny Marcus covers the highs and lows of his decades in comedy, including his first televised standup show and writing for SNL’s Leslie Jones. And find out why he wouldn’t do it all over again.

Whether it’s stand-up, TV, books, or music, Dave Hill’s fun and quirky personality has branched out into so many avenues of comedy and art. Dave talks about self-doubt, believing in yourself, and what Twitter called his permanent ban. Spoiler: the last involves your mother.

It’s all fun and games until Chemda’s in the hot seat. It’s the greatest singing voice Keith has ever heard, and Keith wants to know how it formed, how Chemda discovered it, and the places it took her. From famed producers and albums to worldwide tours, Chemda shares with us the highs of her musical career as well as the lows of creeps and how singing affected her life and family.

We delve into how innocuous childhood situations shape an artist in the biggest ways as Mike Cannon covers the George Carlin line that changed his life (spoiler: it involves an anchovy’s cunt), how club owners abuse their performers, barking for stage time, and instigating hecklers.

Comic and actress Jessie Jolles joins us to talk about her start and rise in entertainment from her childhood performances to being the spokesperson for major TV commercials and the wide-spread success of her web series It's a Date! She gets vulnerable as she shares her family dynamic including being directed by her actor/comic brother, getting over panic attacks and becoming comfortable with herself, and dealing with success and self-worth – all while being amazingly hilarious and delightful.

From his big break in The Music Man to being a multiple Emmy and Peabody award winner, Josh Gondelman regales us with stories on his school musical triumph, teaching pre-school, his first time on stage, his late night stand-up debut on Conan, and his writing/producing career that includes HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and now Showtime’s Desus and Mero.

Actor, writer, and producer Dan Hartley shares his career stories including his first stage performance at age 10, humiliating himself in front of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, and being his own stunt man on Law & Order: SVU. The gang discusses how to be yourself, how to sit on the toilet without a phone, and the implications of personal sex tapes. Be nice to waiters.

Whether it's being born in The Big Easy (New Orleans), talking about his bathroom habits (wiping with dryer sheets), performing his first set (after drinking half a pitcher of Jack and Coke), working as a professional dog walker (only to have a client's dog murder a stranger's dog on a walk), or finally giving stand-up its due (a month after 9/11), Sean Patton’s journey is informative, hilarious, and some third thing. He shares with you his life lessons and the twists and turns that led to him being a successful comedian that included appearances on Fallon, Conan, Showtime, IFC, and his own Comedy Central special.

Dante Nero talks about how he leveraged his (male) stripper work into a stand-up comedy career. From his introduction and close friendship with Patrice O’Neal to starting the podcast that took his career to the next level, Dante gets naked with us.

Jesse Joyce, writer for the Oscars and Comedy Central Roasts, discusses his very first jokes as a child, alcoholism, and discovering stand-up. Jesse remembers when he learned The Big Stand-Up Trick, and he talks about the difference between old and new-school comics. He shares his experiences watching comedians have breakdowns on stage, the death of his best friend Greg Giraldo, and his heart-to-heart with Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper’s Mark Curry.

Jon Laster, comedian and actor, talks Def Jam, roast battles, and where it all began. The gang discusses legacy, the reason Eddie Murphy quit stand-up, the death of an absentee dad, and the joy of making your mom smile. Enjoy, and check your daily habits.

Frank Liotti joins Keith and Chemda to talk about his acting and stand-up career. They talk about the rarity of getting to see comedy performances as a kid, misunderstandings coming from people always assuming comics are joking, and taking advantage of raw talent. Frank then explains that when the show is not working, it's your fault. You, specifically.