x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Comedy History 101

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

comedy

All Episodes

34:45

History of the Unknown Comic

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/07/17

The Unknown Comic skyrocketed to fame - from his appearances on The Gong Show in the 70's. His schtick was to perform with a paper bag on his head - and rattle off a series of paper bag-related puns. But did you know that Murray Langston - the man behind the bag - got his start on Laugh-In and was a series regular on the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour? Well, he was. In this episode, we'll dive into the Unknown Comic origin story -and how the paper bag on his head came to be... Learn more about your ad

en

40:02

CH101 Select: History of George Martin & The Beatles

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/07/10

The late George Martin will always be best remembered for his legendary work as the producer of The Beatles. Did you know that the man who made the Fab Four sound amazing got his start as a producer of comedy albums? Yes, the man behind creating the soundscape for A Day in the Life - also produced comedy albums for Peter Sellers, The Goon Show, and Beyond the Fringe (featuring Dudley Moore). Producing comedy is where Martin learned his chops to produce such Beatles classics as Strawberry Fields

en

41:18

History of Carl Reiner

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/07/01

Let’s salute Carl Reiner! The comedy legend passed away this week at the age of 98. Here’s a man responsible for kickstarting the film career of Steve Martin, was a comedy partner of Mel Brooks, and created the iconic television sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show. It doesn’t get anymore comedy legend than the work of Carl Reiner! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

30:48

History of Dick Gregory: From Comedian to Activist

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/06/12

In 1961, Dick Gregory was the first African American comedian to perform at a white club. A pioneer in the world of stand-up comedy, Gregory's material mocked the bigotry and racism of the time. Gregory is equally known for his activism as well as his comedy. He's one of the most influential comedians in comedy history; inspiring the likes of Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy, and Chris Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

41:38

History of Fred Willard

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/05/20

Fred Willard was a true comedy legend. Not only did he appear in the classic Christopher Guest mockumentaries - but he also got his start at Second City in Chicago and was a member of a comedy team that was featured on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Get Smart. As a tribute to the great Fred Willard - we dive into his comedy history that spanned decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

43:12

History of Comedy After 9/11

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/05/02

Needless to say, we are currently living through a crisis. But we know that laughter is the best medicine - and comedy will help us prevail. It’s helped us in the past - in dealing with tragic events. This episode, we look at comedy right directly after 9/11. They said irony was dead - but comedy help us pull through tragedy - especially with The Onion, SNL, Letterman, The Daily Show, and Gilbert Gottfried's legendary joke at the Friar's Club Roast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

en

43:22

History of Sam KInison & the Texas Outlaw Comics

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/04/10

We dive into the Sam Kinison origin story - and his role as a member of the Texas Outlaw Comics in Houston, Texas during the mid-1980s.. Kinison was a former preacher who turned to stand up comedy. During his Houston years, Kinison found his comedy voice - working alongside another future comedy legend: Bill Hicks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

31:22

History of Bill Hicks & the Texas Outlaw Comics

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/04/04

The Texas Outlaw Comics were a group of comedians based in Houston that formed at the Comedy Workshop in the mid-1980s. This collective of like-minded comedians became an incubator of a unique style of comedy - that brought the world such legends as Bill Hicks and Sam Kinison. In Part One, we'll dive into the Bill Hicks origin story; from clean-cut suburban kid - to full-blown Texas comedy outlaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

48:11

History of Yakov Smirnoff

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/03/27

Yakov Smirnoff is a comedian from Russia. He's known for his catchphrase: "What a country." Yakov's comic persona was of a naive immigrant who was perpetually confused and delighted by life in the United States. And then came the fall of the former Soviet Union. What happened to Yakov's career? We have a surprise twist that will make you say....what a country! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

42:20

CH101 Select: History of Gallows Humor

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/03/19

From the archives: Gallows humor is witticism in the face of – and in response to – a hopeless, tragic, or deathly situation. Gallows humor is typically made by or about the victim of such a situation. In this episode of CH!01 - we actually chart gallows humor - made by people in history right before they’re about to be executed. Yes, gallows humor on the gallows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

41:52

History of Spuds MacKenzie: The Original Party Animal

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/03/12

Spuds MacKenzie was the original party animal - that women adored. The fictional dog made his debut in a Bud Light beer commercial during the Super Bowl in 1987. Spuds appeared in a series of commercials and became a marketing sensation. The premise of every ad: once Spuds arrived, the party could really begin. And there was the Spudettes, of course. Long after the ads dried up, Spuds MacKenzie lives on in our pop culture through references on The Simpsons and The Family Guy. Let's hear it for the

en

39:20

History of Fake Charlie Chaplins

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/02/28

When Charlie Chaplin hit the silver screen - the country suffered from a case of ‘Chaplinitis’. Audiences couldn’t enough of his films - so in 1917 a fake Charlie Chaplin, named Billy West, popped onto the scene. West stole Chaplin’s character and starred in 24 films - as a “tramp” character. Yes, being a hack was even a thing back in old-timey days. We also explore other comedians who tried to rip-off Charlie Chaplin - such as in 1920: Charlie Aplin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

en

30:24

History of Where's the Beef?

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/02/04

"Where's the beef?" became the legendary commercial catchphrase for Wendy's. Back in 1984, the ad starred cantankerous old lady, Clara Peller, who uttered: "Where's the beef?" The commercial skyrocketed 81-year old Keller to fame - and the catchphrase is now in our pop culture lexicon. But things didn't go smooth with Keller and Wendy's - she was eventually fired from the ad campaign appearing in a Prego's commercial that broke her contract. Still: Where's the beef? Learn more about your ad

en

36:33

History of Yo Mama Jokes

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/01/24

Yo Mama jokes are a comedic staple. But did you know Yo Mama jokes date all the way back to ancient Babylon? Making fun of one’s mother was also mentioned in the Bible - and Shakespeare even utilized this comedy device. We also dive into the history of The Dozens - an interactive insult game - where participants try to one up each other - and saw the rise of Yo Mama jokes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

58:14

CH101 Select: History of SCTV

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/01/17

From the archives: We dive into the history behind the legendary sketch comedy show: SCTV. Learn how SCTV was an offshoot of the original Toronto company of Second City - and find out more about the original SCTV cast that consisted of John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, and Dave Thomas. Hear what about our favorite episodes - and learn the meaning behind, "Crane shot!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

28:46

History of Mother-In-Law Jokes

Comedy History 101 ·

2020/01/06

Mother-in-law jokes were big back in the era of Mad Men and the ‘50s. The joke genre was once a mainstay for stand up comedians. The premise includes the stereotype that mothers-in-law are generally overbearing, obnoxious, and unattractive. What’s the historical origins of mother-In-law jokes - and what change in society led to their demise? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

46:58

History of Comedians, The Mob, and The Copacabana

Comedy History 101 ·

2019/12/28

Remember in Goodfellas when mobster Henry Hill took his date, Karen, to The Copacabana? That was pretty true to form. The mob actually owned the legendary club. We saw this recently in the movie The Irishman - when Don Rickles was on stage performing for Crazy Joe Gallo. We dive into the mob’s connection with The Copacabana - where you’ll learn such interesting tidbits as what happened to comedian Allan Drake’s wife when she had an affair with a mobster. Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t end well… Learn

en

45:33

CH101 Select: History of the Comedy Straight Man

Comedy History 101 ·

2019/12/20

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

45:20

History of Don Rickles, The Irishman, and The Mob

Comedy History 101 ·

2019/12/06

Have you seen The Irishman? There’s a scene where Don Rickles (played by comedian Jim Norton) is performing at the Copacabana for mobster, Crazy Joe Gallo - on the night he was gunned down. The incident is pretty true. And Don Rickles, much like other comedians of that era, had a history of working at clubs owned by the mob. We jumped into Don Rickles history with the mob - that eventually led him to a role in Scorsese’s Mob film: Casino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

en

29:24

History of the World's Oldest Jokes

Comedy History 101 ·

2019/11/18

The oldest recorded joke in the world - dates back to 2,300 BC. It’s attributed to the Sumerians, Back in those old-timey days - fart jokes were all the rage. Go figure. In this episode, we dive into several of the world’s oldest jokes - to see what was making ancient people laugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

en

207 results

Similar Podcasts

射後不理＃爽就好了

咪咪 & 淳淳

Therapy Gecko

iHeartPodcasts

百靈果 News

Bailingguo News

Old Time Radio Comedy

solgoodmedia.com

The Hard Yarns Podcast

Cameron Branch and Daniel Delby