What do you get when you cross NPR's Fresh Air with NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien? The Sound of Young America features intelligent, in-depth interviews with fun and fascinating guests. Distributed on radio by Public Radio International.
Charles Burns is a cartoonist and illustrator whose best-known work is the graphic novel Black Hole. We spoke with him at the Philly Improv Theater in Philadelphia.
Dr. Robert Hicks is the director of the Mutter Museum at the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. It's a museum of medical history - and oddities of the human body.
Rik Cordero helped revolutionize hip-hop videos with clips for artists like Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, The Roots and Nas. He's also the director of the feature film Inside A Change.
Scott Adsit is a veteran of Chicago's Second City and plays Pete on NBC's 30 Rock. We'll also talk about how Scott's involvement in the series Moral Orel almost caused a rift in his family. This episode taped live at WNYC's Jerome L. Green Performance Space.
Ricky, Julian and Bubbles are the stars of the Canadian documentary-style sitcom The Trailer Park Boys. For years, the show has tracked their charming inability to make anything of themselves.
Charles Burns is a cartoonist and illustrator whose best-known work is the graphic novel Black Hole. We spoke with him at the Philly Improv Theater in Philadelphia.
Dr. Robert Hicks is the director of the Mutter Museum at the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. It's a museum of medical history - and oddities of the human body.
Rik Cordero helped revolutionize hip-hop videos with clips for artists like Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, The Roots and Nas. He's also the director of the feature film Inside A Change.
Scott Adsit is a veteran of Chicago's Second City and plays Pete on NBC's 30 Rock. We'll also talk about how Scott's involvement in the series Moral Orel almost caused a rift in his family. This episode taped live at WNYC's Jerome L. Green Performance Space.
Ricky, Julian and Bubbles are the stars of the Canadian documentary-style sitcom The Trailer Park Boys. For years, the show has tracked their charming inability to make anything of themselves.
Inside comedy writing with Mike Sacks and his
new book about comedy writers And Here's The Kicker: Conversations With 21 Top Humor Writers About Their Craft.
There's odd standup comedy, and then there's standup comedy so odd it gets you banned from a network late night show... after you've already taped your appearance. Comedian Brent Weinbach is my guest.
Jon Friedman is a comedian, writer, and host of the The Rejection Show, New York City's live showcase of rejected work. His new book is Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped and Cancelled. We'll hear about Friedman's early days screening unsolicited submissions for The New Yorker and Comedy Central, plus what it's like at his new gig blogging for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Rob Siegel is a former editor for The Onion and penned last year's Mickey Rourke vehicle The Wrestler. He's just written and directed Big Fan, a dark film starring Patton Oswalt as man beaten up by his favorite player on the New York Giants. Siegel's characters seem to find fulfillment on the fringes of society -- listen in to find out why.
Chris Anderson is editor-in-chief of WIRED and is also the author of Free: The Future of a Radical Price which explores how the price for delivering content is trending towards zero. We'll talk about the repercussions that's having on the creative industry and those whose job it is to create thoughts.
Greg Kot is the music critic at the Chicago Tribune, host of the public radio program Sound Opinions, and has written for the likes of Rolling Stone, Details, Blender, and Encyclopaedia Britannica among others. His new book is Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music. We'll talk about how the music industry got to where it is today, and what might be next.
Paul Rust has just made his big break starring in the teen romp I Love You Beth Cooper, but he's been a long time friend of the show and was named one of Variety's 10 Comics To Watch in 2008. Rust will talk about how the silliness of Pee-wee Herman remains a seminal influence and the best parts of working with a big time, earnest filmmaker like Chris Columbus.
Charlyne Yi made her first on screen appearance playing the stoned girlfriend of Martin Starr's character in the Judd Apatow flick Knocked Up. Now, she's written Paper Heart a documentary and narrative film in which she also stars opposite Michael Sera. Hear from Yi about why she doesn't believe in love, and from Paper Heart director Nick Jasenovec about the choice of casting someone else to play himself.
Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black are the stars of the new Comedy Central series Michael & Michael Have Issues. They're also founding members of The State.
Armando Iannucci is one of the UK's most prominent comedy writers, producers and performers, having helped create shows like The Day Today and I'm Alan Partridge. His new film, In the Loop, is headed to theaters here in the US.
Deyan Sudjic is the director of the Design Museum in London, and the author of The Language of Things. He talks about the history and significance of design.
Nick Kroll has been featured in the television shows Cavemen, Sit Down & Shut Up, The Human Giant and The Life & Times of Tim. He's also the author of Bar Mitzvah Disco.
Lloyd Kaufman is co-founder of Troma Entertainment, one of the oldest continuously operating independent film companies in the country. Troma are best known for their often bizarre cult films, like the iconic Toxic Avenger series.
Actress Jane Lynch has been seen in films like The 40 Year Old Virgin, Role Models and Best in Show. She's featured on the new show Party Down, and stars on the upcoming FOX show Glee.
Martin Starr first rose to prominence as Bill Haverchuck on the cult series Freaks and Geeks. He's now featured in both the Starz series Party Down and the new film Adventureland.
Merlin Mann, The Bros. Chaps (Homestar Runner) and Jeff Olsen (adultswim.com) talk with Jesse about building a brand online at the 2009 Integrated Media Association conference.
Steven Johnson is a writer on the history of ideas whose books include The Ghost Map and Everything Bad Is Good For You. His latest is The Invention of Air.
We talk with three of the writers behind the strange and irreverent basketball blog Free Darko. Their new book is The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac.
Jeffrey Tambor is a veteran actor best known for his roles as Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show and the patriarch of the Bluth family on Arrested Development.
Sean Cullen is a Canadian comic, seen on Last Comic Standing and on his own Comedy Central Presents special. Zion I are a Bay Area hip-hop group whose new album is The Takeover. They performed at our live recording in San Francisco.
California State Assemblymember Tom Ammiano is a fixture of the San Francisco political scene. He was the first openly gay man elected to a school board in California, and went on to become president of the City's board of supervisors. He's also been a standup comic for over thirty years.
How's Your News is a new series on MTV which follows a group of reporters with disabilities across the country. Arthur Bradford created How's Your News many ten years ago at a summer camp for the disabled, and Jeremy Vest is a member of the reporting team.
Larry Wilmore is a comedy writer and performer. He's the author of
"I'd Rather We Got Casinos," and is The Daily Show's Senior Black
Correspondent. He also wrote for In Living Color and created the
sitcoms The Bernie Mac Show and The PJs.
Spike Feresten wrote for David Letterman, The Simpsons, Seinfeld and Saturday Night Live before going in front of the camera. Now he's hosting an hour-long late-night talkshow on FOX called, appropriately, "Talk Show with Spike Feresten."
Neil Gaiman is the author of the dark children's fantasy novel "Coraline." Henry Selick is the director of the new stop motion animated film based on Gaiman's book.
Eric and Justin Stangel are the co-Head Writers of The Late Show with David Letterman, and Bill Scheft is a long-time monologue writer on the show. The Letterman writers have just published a new book compilation of one of the show's recurring bits, Late Show Fun Facts.
Stuart Schuffman is the author of "Broke-Ass Stuart's Guide to Living Cheaply in New York," a follow-up to his "Guide to Living Cheaply in San Francisco."
Rob Corddry is an actor and comedian. For four years, he was a correspondent on The Daily Show. His most recent project is a web series for thewb.com called Children's Hospital.
Patrick Borelli and Douglas Gorenstein are the authors of Holy Headshot, a book of bizarre and amazing head shots from actors and performers across the country. Note that this podcast is in .m4a (enhanced podcast) format, and should play in iTunes, on iPods and on Zunes. An MP3 of this show can be found at our website.
Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald are founding members of The Kids in the Hall. The group has reformed for a national tour of the US and an upcoming miniseries on Canadian television.
Alan Zweibel was an original writer on Saturday Night Live, a co-creator of the groundbreaking sitcom It's Garry Shandling's Show, and is a producer on and contributor to Curb Your Enthusiasm. His new book is Clothing Optional.
Pete Rothbart is an editor at Found Magazine, a magazine composed exclusively of things people have found -- from shopping lists to personal notes to (once) a dead frog.
Dan Savage is the writer of the sex and relationship advice column Savage Love, which runs in alternative newspapers around the country. He also edits the Seattle newspaper The Stranger. This interview was recorded live on stage at Seattle Sketchfest.
Graham Linehan is an Irish comedy writer, who co-created the sitcom Father Ted, and created the series The IT Crowd. He also worked on shows like Big Train, Brasseye, and The Day Today.
Marianna Palka is the writer, director and star of the independent film Good Dick, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is currently in theaters.
Janeane Garofalo is an actress and standup comic. She's currently a co-star on the FOX series 24, and is working the road as a standup as part of the "Satiristas."
Sandra Tsing Loh is a performer, commentator and writer based in Los Angeles. Her most recent book, about sending her daughter to school, is Mother On Fire: A True Mother*#$(ing Story About Parenting.
Louis CK is a comedian, writer and director. His new Showtime comedy special is Louis CK: Chewed Up. He created and starred in the HBO series Lucky Louie and wrote and directed the cult film Pootie Tang.
Andy Daly is an actor and comedian. He's probably best known as a former cast member on Mad TV, or as a mad announcer in last summer's Semi-Pro. He's just released his first CD, Nine Sweaters.
Chip Kidd is one of the world's best-known designers; he's designed book covers for innumerable authors. He's also a comic novelist. His most recent novel is The Learners.
Robert Popper was co-creator of the British comedy series "Look Around You." He's also the author, as "Robin Cooper" of "The Timewaster Letters," which are smash bestsellers in the UK, and have just been released in the US.
Roger Bennett is co-author of "Camp Camp: Where Fantasy Island Meets Lord of the Flies." It's a collection of reminiscences and ephemera related to summer camp.
The Explorers Club are a South Carolina-based rock band, whose music recalls the Southern California rock of the 1960s and the melodramatic pop of Phil Spector.
Ze Frank is an internet super-celebrity, and the principal of zefrank.com. His year-long daily video blog project, The Show, was one of the first great successes of the video blog world.
Scott Prendergast is the writer, director and star of the indie comedy Kabluey. The film, which also stars Lisa Kudrow, concerns a young man helping tend to his brother's children while his brother is serving in Iraq.
David A. Price is the author of The Pixar Touch: The Making Of A
Company. The book traces the history of Pixar from technology company to entertainment behemoth.
Benjamin Nugent is the author of "American Nerd: The Story of My People," a combination of memoir, sociology and reportage on the nerd in American life.
Ariel Schrag wrote the autobiographical comics Definition, Awkward and Potential while still in high school in the late 90s. The books were just re-published.
The Grouch is a fixture in the West Coast independent hip-hop scene, as a solo artist and as a member of The Living Legends. The group help blaze the trail for independent, underground hip-hop in the early to mid 1990s.
Guests Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver are the co-creators and stars of Reno 911. The Comedy Central series, which spoofs COPS-style reality shows, is entering the second half of its fifth season. The trio also collaborated on the series "Viva Variety," and first worked together as members of the MTV sketch series The State.
Mike Birbiglia is a standup comedian. His new special "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing: My Secret Public Journal Live" adapts stories from his popular online diary.
Mark Evanier is that author of Kirby: King of Comics, a lavishly illustrated biography of comic book legend Jack Kirby. He also worked with Kirby in the 1960s and 70s.
David Hajdu is an award-winning cultural historian. His book The Ten Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America, about the censorship of comics in the mid-1950s.
Bill James is the father of sabermetrics, that objective analysis and study of baseball. His bright, funny writing brought baseball analysis to the masses in the 1980s, and helped revolutionize the management of baseball teams in the 21st century. Today, he works for the Boston Red Sox.
Gaberiel Alvarez and Brent Rollins are members of the hip-hop media collective Ego Trip. The group produced the acclaimed magazine Ego Trip in the 1990s, and has since written two books and created several series and specials for VH1, the most recent of which is Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme.
John Moe is the author of Conservatize Me: How I Tried to Become a Righty With The Help of Richard Nixon, Sean Hannity, Toby Keith and Beef Jerky. He's also a contributor to American Public Media's Weekend America.
David Mitchell is half of the British comedy team Mitchell & Webb. They're the stars of the acclaimed UK TV series "Peep Show" and "That Mitchell & Webb Look," the latter of which is running in the US on BBC America.
We're having a t-shirt contest, looking for a design for a special, super-limited-edition T for our upcoming Maximum Fun Drive. Anyone can enter and anyone can vote on the entries. Visit pixish.com and search for TSOYA.
Ben Karlin was editor of The Onion, Executive Producer and Head Writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, a writer on America: The Book and co-creator of The Colbert Report. He's just edited a book called Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me.
A special video request from Jesse: ask your local public radio stations to carry The Sound of Young America. The stakes are huge for the future of the show, and a quick phone call or email can make a huge difference.
Tony Millionaire is the creator of the cartoon strip Maakies, which runs in alternative newspapers around the country. The strip has recently been picked up as a television series on adult swim called The Drinky Crow Show.
Joel Hodgson was the original host of Mystery Science Theater 3000. He and his cohorts J. Elvis Weinstein and Frank Conniff discuss their new venture, Cinematic Titanic, which is, format-wise, a followup to MST3K.
Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich are the hosts of the public radio program RadioLab. It's a boldly artful show about big ideas, seen largely through the lens of science. The program's aesthetic combines Krulwich's extensive reportorial background with Abumrad's history as an experimental radio producer and music composer. (If you got a partial download of this show last week, delete that file and re-download.)
Ken Freedman and Andy Brechkman are the hosts of the cult comedy-talk radio program Seven Second Delay on Jersey City freeform radio giant WFMU. Their show might be the highest concept talk show in the world. Ken also manages WFMU; Andy is the creator of the USA series Monk.
Zach Rogue is frontman of the San Francisco indie rock band Rogue Wave. High-quality downloads of his songs can be found online at our site, maximumfun.org.
Danny Hoch is an Obie award-winning actor and writer, and the founder of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival. His newest show, Takin Over, concerns the gentrification of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Steve Albini is one of the world's most accomplished rock producers. He's recorded over 1000 albums for more than 1000 bands, including Nirvana, The Stooges and Joanna Newsom. Recorded live in Chicago at the Second City.
Simon Rich is the author of the humor book Ant Farm and Other Desperate Situations. He's also a former editor of the Harvard Lampoon and a writer for Saturday Night Live.
Sarah Lamm is director of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox, a new documentary about the legendary Dr. Bronner and his peppermint soap, which has become a counter-cultural icon.
Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are the creators of two Cartoon Network [adult swim] shows -- Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric, Awesome Show, Great Job!
Dan Deacon is an electronic pop musician with a background in electronic art music. His latest album of frenzied ecstatic tunes is Spiderman of the Rings.
Rocker Kenna was born in Ethiopia and raised in Cincinatti and Virginia. His dramatic, new-wavey records are co-produced by Chad Hugo of the super-producing duo The Neptunes.
The Sklar Brothers, standup comics and television and radio hosts, return to The Sound of Young America. They have a new standup comedy CD called Sklar Maps, as well as a new series on Superdeluxe.com.
An audio adaptation of a piece from George Saunders' most recent book, The Braindead Megaphone. Features Dan Klein of Kasper Hauser, Andy Daly (The Office, Mad TV), John Hodgman, Xeni Jardin, Jonathan Katz and more.
Comedian Paul F. Tompkins is a regular on VH1 talking head series, was a castmember of HBO's Mr. Show and Real Time with Bill Maher, and is really really funny.
Mick Brown was the last journalist to speak with Phil Spector before the legendary music producer murdered a young woman. He is the author of Tearing Down the Wall of Sound.
The Lifesavas are the leading light in the Portland, Oregon hip-hop scene. Their new record is conceived as the soundtrack to a lost blacksploitation film.
Elmore Leonard is the author of 41 novels, including "Get Shorty," among many other best-sellers. He's perhaps the most critically-acclaimed popular fiction writer in the country. His most recent is "Up in Honey's Room."
Comedian Dave Hill is the host of the popular New York stage show The Dave Hill Explosion, as well as the star of the television program King of Miami.
Oliver Wang is a popular blogger and DJ, and a professor at CSU Long Beach. His new CD compilation of classic soul music is Soul Sides Volume Two: The Covers.
Michael Cera starred as George Michael on Arrested Development. He currently stars in the web series Clark and Michael, and will soon star in the film Superbad.
Comedy from Greg Proops, Jen Kirkman, Jonathan Coulton, Kasper Hauser, Coyle and Sharpe, The 3rd Floor, The Farce Side, Two Girls for Five Bucks and Drop Six.
Greg Saunier is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist in the rock band Deerhoof. The band is one of the most critically acclaimed in rock, and has toured with Radiohead, Wilco, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth and The Roots, among others.
Sa-Ra are a group of three hip-hop producer/performers whose first album The Hollywood Recordings is now available. They've worked with artists ranging from Dr. Dre and Ice T to Bilal and Pharoahe Monch.
With his brother Sid Krofft, Marty Krofft produced many of the 1970s best remembered childrens shows, including HR Puffnstuff and Land of the Lost, as well as a number of variety shows. The latter included Donnie and Marie Osmond, the Brady Kids, and Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.
Sarah Thyre is the author of the memoir Dark at the Roots. As an actress, she's been seen on Strangers with Candy and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, among other venues.
Anne Beatts was an original writer on Saturday Night Live as well as the first female editor of the National Lampoon. She also created the cult sitcom Square Pegs.
Louis Theroux is the author of The Call of The Weird: Travels in American Subcultures. He has been the host of several television series, including Weird Weekends, which aired in the US on Bravo.
Dave Willis is the co-creator of The Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a cult comedy series on Cartoon Network. He and his partner Matt Maiellaro also made the new film adaptation Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Moviefilm for Theatres.
Steven Wright is a legendary standup comedian. He's also an Academy Award winner, and has been featured in films including Reservoir Dogs and Half Baked.
Brian P. Stack is a writer and performer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Among his beloved characters are Frankenstein and The Ghost Crooner, and he created Peirre Bernard's Recliner of Rage.
Zach Galifianakis is a standup comedian who has been seen on Comedy Central's The Comedians of Comedy, and in his own VH1 series, "Late World with Zach."
Chicago rapper Rhymefest won a Grammy award before releasing his first LP. His debut record was "Blue Collar," and he's preparing his follow-up, called "El Che."
Soul singer Omar started the new classic soul movement in the late 1980s in the UK. It's taken fifteen years and the professed admiration of US stars like Erykah Badu and D'Angelo to bring him to US audiences.
David Koechner (Anchorman, SNL) and Dave (Gruber) Allen (Freaks & Geeks) talk about their new Comedy Central series, "The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show."
Guests Rob Beckerman and Rob Burnett. Beckerman and Burnett are the creators of the new series "The Knights of Prosperity," as well as the cult favorite dramedy "Ed."
Guests Paul Feig, Mike Birbiglia & Kasper Hauser. Paul Feig is the director of the new film Unnacompanied Minors, as well as the creator of Freaks & Geeks.
Guests Kurt Andersen, Andres du Bouchet, Elephant Larry and Jonathan Coulton. Kurt Andersen is the host of PRI's "Studio 360" and was the co-founder of Spy Magazine. Andrew du Bouchet is a New York comedian. Elephant Larry are a sketch comedy group, also from New York. Jonathan Coulton sings songs, and I believe lives in Connecticut.
Guests David Wain, Heather Lawless, Mike Daisey and Tanya Morgan. Our first live-on-stage program, recorded at The People's Improv Theater in New York City.
Guests V. Vale and Josh Karp. V. Vale is the legendary underground publisher behind Re/Search Publications, a series of zine-like books on the counter-culture. Josh Karp's new book examines the history of the National Lampoon, and how it changed American comedy.
Guests Amy Sedaris and Jimmy Carr. Amy Sedaris is an entertainer and now, a home economics maven. Jimmy Carr is a British comic and the author of a new book on jokes and comedy.
From the Kasper Hauser Comedy Podcast. I'm producing a podcast for our friends in Kasper Hauser, and I thought I'd share this hilarious video with you. Their book "SkyMaul" is in stores, and it's hilarious. I personally reccomend it extremely highly.
Guests Chris Elliott and Terry Gilliam. Chris Elliott is an actor and author, best known for his work on "Get A Life" and "Late Night with David Letterman. Terry Gilliam is a filmmaker and member of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Guests Matmos and Dan Levitin. Matmos are avante-garde electronic music artists, who create music from non-musical sound. Dan Levitin is a neuroscientist, and the author of "This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession."
The Sound of Young America presents Todd Barry live in San Francisco Saturday, October 8th at the Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk St. Shows are at 9 and 11:30 PM.
Guests John Hodgman and Jonathan Coulton. Our guests were college classmates, and remain close friends today. Hodgman is an author and is regularly seen on The Daily Show. Coulton is a comic singer-songwriter.
Guests Joe Flaherty & Allison Silverman. Joe Flaherty was a cast member on the seminal sketch comedy program SCTV. Allison Silverman is the Emmy-winning co-head writer and supervising producer of The Colbert Report.
Guests Michael J. Nelson, Ron Moore and Steve Eley. Mike Nelson was the host of Mystery Science Theater 3000, now he makes commentaries for Rifftrax. Ron Moore is co-creator of the SciFi Network series Battlestar Galactica. Steve Eley is editor of the sci-fi podcast Escape Pod.
Guests Merrill Markoe and Caleb Crain. Merrill Markoe is the author of the novel "Walking in Circles Before Lying Down," and was co-creator of "Late Night with David Letterman." Caleb Crain writes for the New Yorker; we speak with him about the Mass Observation movement of the 1930s and 40s.
Guests Maz Jobrani, Lisa Jervis & Andi Zeisler. Maz Jobrani is an actor and standup comedian who's the star of the upcoming sitcom The Knights of Prosperity. Lisa Jervis & Andi Zeisler are the founding editors of Bitch Magazine, "A Feminist Response to Popular Culture."
Guests Patton Oswalt and Masta Ace. Patton Oswalt is a standup-comic, the creator of "The Comedians of Comedy," and the co-star of CBS' The King of Queens; he is also star of the upcoming Pixar film "Ratatouille." Masta Ace is a hip-hop legend and original member of the Juice Crew.
Guests Eddie Argos of Art Brut and Paul Malmont. Paul Malmont is the author of "The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril." Eddie Argos is the frontman of the acclaimed rock band Art Brut.
Guests The Flaming Lips' Michael Ivins and Lawrence Weschler. Michael Ivins is a bassist and idea man with The Flaming Lips. Lawrence Weschler is a long-time New Yorker writer, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of "Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences."
Guests Dave Attell and Michael Showalter. Dave Attell is a celebrated standup comedian, and the former host of Comedy Central's Insomniac. Michael Showalter is best know for his work on MTV's The State and Comedy Central's Stella; he also wrote and directed the feature film The Baxter.
Guests Chuck Klosterman and Dave Foley. Klosterman is the author of "Killing Yourself to Live" and other pop-culture commentary. Foley is a member of The Kids in the Hall, and was the star of the sitcom Newsradio and the Pixar film A Bug's Life.
Guests Davy Rothbart and Jason Bitner. Davy Rothbart is editor of Found Magazine, a compendium of lossed and tossed documents and items. Jason Bitner is co-editor, and the editor of the book LaPorte, Indiana.
Guests Doug Martsch of Built to Spill and Bill Plympton. Bill Plympton is the Oscar-nominated animator of numerous short films. Doug Martsch is the frontman of Built to Spill, one of the indie rock world's most influential bands.
Guests Henry Owings and George Saunders. Henry Owings is the editor of Chunklet Magazine; we talk about their new publication, "The Overrated Book: The Only Book You'll Ever Need." George Saunders is an acclaimed satirist, we talk about his new book of short stories, "In Persuasion Nation."
Guests Matt Walsh and Charlie Todd of Improv Everywhere. Matt Walsh the star of the Comedy Central series Dog Bites Man, and a former correspondent on the Daily Show and co-founder of the Upright Citizens Brigade. Charlie Todd is the creator of the street prank group Improv Everywhere.
Guests Paul F. Tompkins, Tim & Eric and Will Franken. Tim & Eric are the creators of the Cartoon Network [adult swim] series Tom Goes to the Mayor. Paul F. Tompkins is a standup, and has been a regular on series including The Daily Show, Best Week Ever, Mr. Show and Real Time with Bill Maher. Will Franken was recently chosen "Best Comedian" in San Francisco by the SF Weekly.
Guests John Vanderslice, Xeni Jardin and Mark Frauenfelder. Mark Frauenfelder and Xeni Jardin are among the co-authors of Boing-Boing.net, the weblog visited by 1.75 million people every day. John Vanderslice is a recording artist, producer, and recording studio owner who has worked with MK Ultra, Spoon and The Mountain Goats. His Tiny Telephone Recordings is the country's premier all-analog recording studio.
Guest Kevin Kelly. Kevin Kelly of Wired Magazine tells us about the digital future of the old-fashioned book, and the copyright issues that complicate it.
Guests Dan Clowes and Annabelle Hurwitch. Dan Clowes is the screenwriter of the film "Art School Confidential," which is based on a short comic story from his anthology series Eightball. Eightball was also the birthplace of "Ghost World." Annabelle Hurwitch is the former host of TBS' "Dinner and a Movie," and the author of "Fired," a collection of firing stories from "entertaining people," including David Cross, Felicity Huffman, and Robert Reich. Also: a comedy sketch from Free Love Forum.
Guest Brian Posehn. We're joined by comedian, writer and actor Brian Posehn (Mr. Show, Just Shoot Me, Seinfeld, Newsradio, Comedians of Comedy). We talk about his long career in comedy. Plus comedy from Todd Barry, Meat, Hard n Phirm, Jonathan Coulton, and Flight of the Conchords.
Guests Philip Lopate, Sharon Waxman and Sean Uyehara. Philip Lopate is the editor of the Library of America's Anthology of American Film Criticism. Sharon Waxman is Hollywood reporter for the New York Times and author of "Rebels on the Backlot," which examines the indie film explosion of the mid-90s. Sean Uyehara is a programmer for the San Francisco International Film Festival. Also: a message from Jen Kirkman.
Guests Jonathan Katz and Jonathan Goldstein. Jonathan Katz is a comedian, and the co-creator and star of "Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist." Jonathan Goldstein is an acclaimed radio producer (This American Life, Wiretap) and the author of the novel "Lenny Bruce is Dead."
Guest Jimmy Pardo. Jimmy Pardo is a nationally headlining comedian and the former host of "National Lampoon's Funny Money" and AMC's "Movies At Our House." His long-running stage talk show "Running Your Trap" is a fixture in Los Angeles. He also recently began podcasting.
Guest Andrew WK. This week is our last broadcast from our long-time home base, KZSC in Santa Cruz. We bid an affectionate farewell to the station with two of our favorite segments from our six years in Santa Cruz. The first is a chat with Andrew WK -- he talks about his philosophy of life, and offers some rock & roll advice to Jesse's younger brother Brendan. Then, we hear the original old time radio-style serial "Mace Detective, Private Detective." Mace investigates the mystery of Popinjay's Whizbang, when he's not being distracted by Goofus & Gallant. Also: a brand new sketch from the Kasper Hauser Skit Club.
Guest Simon Reynolds. This week our theme is "Rip It Up & Start Again," and we investigate the history of Post-Punk music.
Our guest is Simon Reynolds,
a British pop music critic, and the author of the book which gives our
show its name. His book aims to retrofit the reputation of the rock
music of the early 80s, describing the sonically disparate artists who
created something new in the wake of the first punk movement's
self-destruction.
Guests Jim Gaffigan and the creators of Wonder Showzen. Jim Gaffigan is an actor and comedian who's been seen in films like "Super Troopers," and is one of the most popular touring comics in America. John Lee and Vernon Chatman created Wonder Showzen, one of the most bizarre, dark, and hilarious half-hours on television.
Guests Maira Kalman and George Pelecanos. This week, two looks at style. Maira Kalman created lyrical illustrations of the classic writing handbook The Elements of Style. George Pelecanos is a noted crime author, and a writer/producer for HBO's The Wire.
Guests Terry Jones and Dino Stamatopoulos. Terry Jones is a founding member of Monty Python, as well as an author, historian, actor and director. We talk about Python and all that other stuff. Dino Stamatopolous is the creator of Moral Orel on Cartoon Network's [adult swim], and a former writer for Conan O'Brien, Mr. Show, and the Ben Stiller Show.
Guests Nick Adams and Calvin Levels. Nick Adams is a comedian and the author of the new book "Making Friends with Black People." Calvin Levels is a Tony-nominated actor and the star of the one-man show "James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain."
Guests Chris Hardwick and Patton Oswalt. A classic from the vaults of The Sound of Young America featuring two of our best comedian pals... Chris Hardwick is half of Hard N Phirm, and the former host of Singled Out on MTV. Patton Oswalt is a co-star of CBS' The King of Queens, and the creator of The Comedians of Comedy. Both talk about their comedy, Chris talks about how he ended up hosting "Shipmates," and Patton talks about his passion for deep-fried Mac & Cheese.
This Monty Python footage hasn't been seen in over 30 years. Originally broadcast on Dallas' PBS affiliate KERA the day after Holy Grail was released, and discovered only recently. The nice folks at KERA and the Python organization were nice enough to share it exclusively with Sound of Young America listeners. Please note that this is a video cast -- it can be viewed on the video iPod or on your computer.
Guests Andy Daly and Richard Montoya. Andy Daly is a former castmember of MadTV, and a correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Showbiz Show with David Spade." He's also invented a "hip party game that's sweeping the nation," called "Mustache TV." Richard Montoya is 1/3 of the legendary Latino/Chicano sketch comedy group Culture Clash. Their newest play is "Zorro in Hell." He can also be seen in the upcoming Jack Black film "Nacho Libre."
Guests Louis CK, Florian Keller, and Neil Hamburger. Louis CK is one of America's best standup comics -- we talk with him about his new kind of old-fashioned sitcom. Florian Keller writes in his book "Andy Kaufman: Wrestling with the American Dream" that Kaufman's work was a satire of that cherished ideal. Also, America's Funnyman, Neil Hamburger stops in to talk about his sad, sad, sad life.
Guests Chad Trujillo, Paul Moller, and Dippin Dots. A look deep into the future. We talk with the inventor of the Skycar, with the discoverer of a new planet, and with a representative of the Ice Cream of the Future, Dippin' Dots. Plus the future of scrapbooking, reptiles, and more, and relationship advice from The Evil Computer Bent on World Domination.
Guests John Hodgman and Fred Rees. Is it possible to contain all of the world's knowledge within the boundaries of one book? One radio show? We find out here. John Hodgman can be seen on the Daily Show, heard on This American Life, and read in his new book The Areas of My Expertise. The book is a compendium of made-up facts more valuable than the vastest library. Fred Rees is creator of The Book of Cool, a DVD set (and book) that teaches you every cool skill you need in life, from pen-spinning to behind-the-back dribbling.
Guests Dan Piraro, Josh Kornbluth, Amanda Congdon, and Andrew Baron. This week's show features a mish-mash of folks. Dan Piraro is the creator of the popular newspaper comic "Bizarro." Josh Kornbluth is a monologuist and host of "The Josh Kornbluth Show." We talk with Josh about his show "Ben Franklin: Unplugged," in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth. Also, Andrew Baron and Amanda Congdon are the co-creators of Rocketboom, the world's most popular video blog, or v-log.
Guests Todd Bowman and Devin the Dude. Devin the Dude is a Houston-based rapper whose self-depracating, hilarious, and sometimes profane raps has made him a favorite of Dr. Dre. DJ Premier, and other hip-hop insiders. Todd Bowman is one of the world's foremost experts on Stax Records. We talk to him about the DVD release of the concert film "Wattstax."
Guests Fred Armisen and Brent Hoff. Fred Armisen is a star on Saturday Night Live, and he's really, really nice (funny, too). Brent Hoff is the editor of McSweeney's new DVD magazine, Wholphin. Also, music from the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and a comedy sketch from Kasper Hauser.
Guests H. Jon Benjamin and Demetri Martin. Jon Benjamin is best known as the voice of Ben, the layabout son in the long-running Comedy Central series Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. He's also a stage comedian. Demetri Martin is a standup comedian, former writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and the winner of the prestigious Perrier Award at the Edinborough Fringe. He's also a graduate of Yale University, and an NYU Law dropout. Also... how did that dog get in here?
Guest Trav S.D. This week we put on a show! Trav S.D. is the author of "No Applause: Just Throw Money," about the history of Vaudeville in America. We also hear from Hard n Phirm, Aziz Ansari, Dragon Boy Suede, Skillz, and more.
Guests John Waters, Christopher Moore, Davy Rothbart, and more. It's our annual Holiday Special, which we made last year and plan to play annually. Merry Christmas!
Guests Alex Blagg and Jarrett Krosoczka. With help from Alex Blagg of The Blagg Blogg and Jarrett Krosoczka, author of "Punk Farm," we choose winners of the New Sincerity Holiday Activity Contest.
Guest Chris Elliott. On this week's show, we sit down with Chris Elliott, the comedian who has retained his bizarre sensibility through a variety of media the past 25 years. Also, a vintage audio put-on by Coyle & Sharpe and Hang It Up / Keep It Up.
Guest Brendon Small. Brendon Small is the creator of Home Movies, but he's also an accomplished guitarist. In this bonus interview, you can hear Brendon talking about his new show "Dethclok," due in the Spring. The show concerns the world's most popular death metal band.
Guest Lars Holm. Lars Holm is the author of "Fawlty Towers: The Worshipper's Companion." We talk about the show, in recoginition of the PBS TV special "Fawlty Towers Revisited," which is running on local PBS stations this week. Also... a contest to win two copies of the book.
Guests Brendon Small, Mark & Michael Polish, and Peter Molyneux. Brendon Small is the creator of the Cartoon Network [adult swim] series Home Movies. Mark & Michael Polish are the directors of several films, including Twin Falls Idaho; they're also the authors of "The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking," a book about how to make an independent film. Peter Molyneux is the designer of the computer game "The Movies," which allows users to create films in-game. He's also designed quite a number of groundbreaking games, like "Populous" and "Black & White."
Guests Eugene Mirman, Kyle MacDonald, and Brandon Bird. Eugene Mirman is one of New York's top alternative comics. He not long ago released his first CD, "The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman." Brandon Bird is a painter, whose work has been celebrated across the country. It often features fringe celebrities and historical figures engaged in fantastical activities. Kyle MacDonald write the blog "One Red Paperclip." He's been trying to trade up, little by little, from a red paperclip to a house.
Guests Sarah Silverman, Brad Meltzer, Kasper Hauser. We return to our nerdiest theme. Sarah Silverman is the hottest comedian in the country as her film "Jesus is Magic" hits theaters. Brad Meltzer is a best-selling novelist, and the author of the controversial DC Comics graphic novel "Identity Crisis." The Kasper Hauser Skit Club are San Francisco's favorite sketch comedy group... they perform a sketch and read some of their fake Craigslist postings.
Guests Judith Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby. John Belushi was one of the great comics of the late 20th century. Belushi Pisano and Colby are the editors of the new book Belushi, an oral history of his life and times. The show also features clips from the National Lampoon Radio Hour which feature Belushi. Oh! And be sure to visit maximumfun.org for a neat web-only bonus mp3.
Guest Tom Scharpling. This week's show is given over to our pal Tom Scharpling, host of the cult radio program "The Best Show on WFMU." We hear two tracks from Tom's new CD with partner-in-joke Jon Wurster, recorded live on The Best Show. The program features comics calling in with assumed personae, being interviewed by the unflappable Scharpling.
A little message with some info on how you can use your status as a Sound of Young America listener to win a copy of the new Onion compilation, a DVD of "Martin & Orloff," or even a DVD set of Arrested Development season two.
Guests Henry Rollins and John Hodgman. Henry Rollins' 25 years on the road with Black Flag and The Rollins Band have left him really, really awesome. Also, John Hodgman, This American Life and McSweeney's contributor, talks about his new book, The Areas of My Expertise, and about hobos.
Guests Harvey Pekar and Andy Kindler. Andy Kindler is a standup comic best known for eviscerating the comedy industry in his annual "State of the Industry Address" at Montreal's Just For Laughs festival. He's appeared numerous times on Letterman, and was a featured player on Everybody Loves Raymond. Harvey Pekar is the author of the celebrated comic series "American Splendor," which was made into a film starring Paul Giammatti. He recently published a comic memoir entitled "The Quitter."
Guests Matt Walsh, Art Spiegelman, and Chris Elliott. Matt Walsh is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, and has appeared in numerous films. He talks with us about "Martin and Orloff," a film he starred in and co-wrote. Art Spiegelman is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, among other books and comics. Spiegelman talks with us about his newest book, "In the Shadow of No Towers." Chris Elliott is a comedy hero for his work on the David Letterman show, as well as on his anti-sitcom "Get A Life," and the film "Cabin Boy." He's written a comic mystery novel, "The Shroud of the Thwacker."
Guest Peter Guralnick on Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke is perhaps the most important figure in 20th century American pop music who isn't a household name. Cooke has been described as the man who invented soul. Peter Guralnick is his biographer, as well as the author of the definitive, two-volume biography of Elvis Presley among other texts.
Guests Robert Weide and Bruce Bridgeman. Bruce Bridgeman is a professor at UC Santa Cruz, and recently published a paper on legenday Santa Cruz tourist attraction The Mystery Spot. Robert Weide is the executive producer of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Larry David. Also, we play some improvised Van Morrison recordings that are so bizarre, they must be heard to be believed.
Guests Dan Savage and Neil Strauss. A pair of heterogenous perspectives on relationships. Dan Savage, the sex columnist, talks about his new book "The Commitment," about gay marriage. Neil Strauss, former New York Times music critic, talks about his book, "The Game: Penetrating the Secret Societ of Pickup Artists."
Guests Blackalicious and David Rakoff. David Rakoff's humorous essays enliven PRI's This American Life; his new collection is "Don't Get Too Comfortable." The hip-hop duo Blackalicious having been holding down the California alternative hip-hop scene for more than ten years. Their new album is "The Craft."
Guests Dick Blasucci and Talk Like a Pirate. This week, we travel to international waters... or at least Canada. We talk with Dick Blasucci, head writer of SCTV, the seminal sketch comedy show, and executive producer of Mad TV. Also, we chat with the creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Guests Chris Hardwick and Patton Oswalt. We take a trip back in time for a classic episode of The Sound. Patton Oswalt isn't just a co-star on The King of Queens. He's also one of America's best comics. Chris Hardwick is no slouch in that department, either -- though you may know him as the host of MTV's "Singled Out."
Guests Matt Besser and Rodney Rothman. Matt Besser of the Upright Citizens Brigade talks about their new sieries on Bravo, "Asssscat Improv." Rodney Rothman, former Late Show with David Letterman head writer, talks about his memoir "Early Bird." He retired to Florida at age 28. Also, music from New Orleans music legends.
Please visit the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org , and make a donation for disaster relief.
Jesse and Matt Besser of the Upright Citizens Brigade judge the results of a New Sincerity Contest. This time around, it's all about showing someone that you love them, New Sincerity style. Three good people win copies of "Created in Darkness By Troubled Americans," the McSweeney's humor anthology.
Guest Bob Edwards. We talk with Bob Edwards, long-time host of NPR's Morning Edition, and now host of the Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio. Also, we help a listener impress his girlfriend, and Jesse's little brother tells a joke.
Guests Ricky Jay and Brian Copeland. Ricky Jay is a magician, actor, and scholar of the history of strange performance. He talks with us about his book "Extraordinary Exhibitions" and his career. Also, Brian Copeland is a top-rated San Francisco radio personality and standup comic. He talks with us about his one-man show "Not A Genuine Black Man," which is the longest running solo show in San Francisco history.
Guests Louis CK and Chip Lord. This week, we examine the fuzzy lines between high and low culture. Louis CK is a standup comic, writer and producer, whose HBO sitcom premiers in January. Chip Lord is a founding member of the seminal art & architecture group The Ant Farm. Plus a song from NY sketch comics Elephant Larry.
Nerds attack on The Sound of Young America! Prince Paul and Maria Schneider are our guests. Prince Paul is the producer of De La Soul, Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and more. Maria Schneider is the creator of Pathetic Geek Stories, the comic strip that dramatizes the most awful shameful experiences of nerdy childhood. Also... Jesse's lady friend Theresa hosts, in an absurdly complex effort to attract playwright Tony Kushner to the show.
Some of the strangest things that have ever happened on The Sound of Young America. Our guests Kasper Hauser, the briliant San Francisco sketch group, talk about scamming scammers, we talk with Robert Hamburger, webmaster of realultimatepower.net about ninjas, and when we try to interview a lady from Steve Harvey's Big Time, disaster ensues.
Del Close was the great genius of improv theatre -- he trained and directed generations of performers, including John Belushi, Mike Meyers, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. We talk about his legacy with Ian Roberts of the UCB, Anthony King of the UCB Theatre, and Jeff Griggs, author of a book on Close, "Guru."
This week we talk with Paul Feig, creator of the series "Freaks and Geeks," and author of the new book, "Superstud: How I Became a 24-Year-Old Virgin." We also talk with Ian Parton, founder of the UK hip-hop/rock/dance band The Go! Team.
This week: interviews with Greg Behrendt, comic and superstar author, and The Fun Bunch, Hollywood super-writers, Mr. Show alums, and comedy empresarios.
"The Second City," with guest Anne Libera, author of "The Second City Guide to Improvisation." We talk about the history of the illustrious comedy school, and hear some audio from it's archives.
This week it's Good Friends and Great Times on The Sound of Young America. We talk about Summer movies with Doug Benson of The Marijuanalogues. We also chat with James Frey, author of "A Million Tiny Pieces," as well as the brand new "My Friend Leonard."
Our "Dirty Mind" show... featuring guests Blowfly, the oft-sampled original king of dirty rap and Legs McNeil, author of "The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry." (This episode contains some language that may be offensive to sensitive listeners)
We chat with comedy legend Paula Poundstone about... well, all kinds of stuff, she's very chatty. Plus... Would You Rather, Hang It Up / Keep It Up, and an odd new segment called "BBC Sports News."
This week's program explores The Nucular Option... our guests are Geoffrey Nunberg, Stanford Linguist and regular Fresh Air commentator, and Stella, the comedy trio (Michael Ian Black, Michael Schowalter, David Wain) behind a new eponymous Comedy Central series. You may know them from their work in MTV's The State, from the film Wet Hot American Summer, or from their appearances in various VH1 talking head shows. Original broadcast date June 4th, 2005.
This week we celebrate the New Sincerity Summer. We adjudicate the New Sincerity Summer contest, in which we asked listeners to contribute New Sincerity Summer activities. We also talk with Mike Veeck, minor league baseball empresario, son of baseball Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, and author of "Fun is Good." Mike talks with us about some of the promotions he's concocted, like "Disco Demolition Night" and "Mime-O-Vision." He also tells us about his son, who he has named "Night Train."
This week, we look talk with our old friend Davey Rothbart, editor of Found Magazine, a magazine composed completely of things people have found. Davey brings us some wonderful found sound, and reads a note or two. Lorca Shepperd talks with us about her film "Other Peoples' Pictures," about collectors of vintage snapshots. Also... we're running a contest this week to celebrate The Summer of the New Sincerity.
This week's show highlights the artists performing at the annual KZSC Laugh Riot. We hear from comedians Brent Weinbach and Jasper Redd, and have a live performance from Chris Hardwick and Mike Phirman.
This week, we talk with Carol Kolb, editor-in-chief of The Onion, America's Finest News Source. We also talk with Joe Garden, a writer for the paper who's running a campaign to replace Conan O'Brien as host of Late Night in 2008. Plus... comedy from the Sklar Brothers and Hard N Phirm.
On today's progam, we talk with two awesome old guys -- legendary comedian Shelley Berman and television science hero Mr. Wizard. Originally broadcast 4-30-05
Our guests on this week's show are solo performer Danny Hoch, founder of the NY Hip-Hop Theater Festival, and Sway & Tech, hosts of the World Famous Wakeup Show.
This week, we examine Rock Snobbery, with guests Ira Kaplan of indie rock legends Yo La Tengo, comedian Greg Proops, and Steven Daly, author of "The Rock Snob's Dictionary." Originally broadcast 4-16-05.
1\clip_filelist.xml">Inside comedy writing with Mike Sacks and his
new book about comedy writers And Here's The Kicker: Conversations With 21 Top Humor Writers About Their Craft.
There's odd standup comedy, and then there's standup comedy so odd it gets you banned from a network late night show... after you've already taped your appearance. Comedian Brent Weinbach is my guest.
Jon Friedman is a comedian, writer, and host of the The Rejection Show, New York City's live showcase of rejected work. His new book is Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped and Cancelled. We'll hear about Friedman's early days screening unsolicited submissions for The New Yorker and Comedy Central, plus what it's like at his new gig blogging for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Rob Siegel is a former editor for The Onion and penned last year's Mickey Rourke vehicle The Wrestler. He's just written and directed Big Fan, a dark film starring Patton Oswalt as man beaten up by his favorite player on the New York Giants. Siegel's characters seem to find fulfillment on the fringes of society -- listen in to find out why.
Chris Anderson is editor-in-chief of WIRED and is also the author of Free: The Future of a Radical Price which explores how the price for delivering content is trending towards zero. We'll talk about the repercussions that's having on the creative industry and those whose job it is to create thoughts.
Greg Kot is the music critic at the Chicago Tribune, host of the public radio program Sound Opinions, and has written for the likes of Rolling Stone, Details, Blender, and Encyclopaedia Britannica among others. His new book is Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music. We'll talk about how the music industry got to where it is today, and what might be next.
Paul Rust has just made his big break starring in the teen romp I Love You Beth Cooper, but he's been a long time friend of the show and was named one of Variety's 10 Comics To Watch in 2008. Rust will talk about how the silliness of Pee-wee Herman remains a seminal influence and the best parts of working with a big time, earnest filmmaker like Chris Columbus.
Charlyne Yi made her first on screen appearance playing the stoned girlfriend of Martin Starr's character in the Judd Apatow flick Knocked Up. Now, she's written Paper Heart a documentary and narrative film in which she also stars opposite Michael Sera. Hear from Yi about why she doesn't believe in love, and from Paper Heart director Nick Jasenovec about the choice of casting someone else to play himself.
Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black are the stars of the new Comedy Central series Michael & Michael Have Issues. They're also founding members of The State.
Armando Iannucci is one of the UK's most prominent comedy writers, producers and performers, having helped create shows like The Day Today and I'm Alan Partridge. His new film, In the Loop, is headed to theaters here in the US.
Deyan Sudjic is the director of the Design Museum in London, and the author of The Language of Things. He talks about the history and significance of design.
Nick Kroll has been featured in the television shows Cavemen, Sit Down & Shut Up, The Human Giant and The Life & Times of Tim. He's also the author of Bar Mitzvah Disco.
Lloyd Kaufman is co-founder of Troma Entertainment, one of the oldest continuously operating independent film companies in the country. Troma are best known for their often bizarre cult films, like the iconic Toxic Avenger series.
Actress Jane Lynch has been seen in films like The 40 Year Old Virgin, Role Models and Best in Show. She's featured on the new show Party Down, and stars on the upcoming FOX show Glee.
Martin Starr first rose to prominence as Bill Haverchuck on the cult series Freaks and Geeks. He's now featured in both the Starz series Party Down and the new film Adventureland.
Merlin Mann, The Bros. Chaps (Homestar Runner) and Jeff Olsen (adultswim.com) talk with Jesse about building a brand online at the 2009 Integrated Media Association conference.
Steven Johnson is a writer on the history of ideas whose books include The Ghost Map and Everything Bad Is Good For You. His latest is The Invention of Air.
We talk with three of the writers behind the strange and irreverent basketball blog Free Darko. Their new book is The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac.
Jeffrey Tambor is a veteran actor best known for his roles as Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show and the patriarch of the Bluth family on Arrested Development.
Sean Cullen is a Canadian comic, seen on Last Comic Standing and on his own Comedy Central Presents special. Zion I are a Bay Area hip-hop group whose new album is The Takeover. They performed at our live recording in San Francisco.
California State Assemblymember Tom Ammiano is a fixture of the San Francisco political scene. He was the first openly gay man elected to a school board in California, and went on to become president of the City's board of supervisors. He's also been a standup comic for over thirty years.
How's Your News is a new series on MTV which follows a group of reporters with disabilities across the country. Arthur Bradford created How's Your News many ten years ago at a summer camp for the disabled, and Jeremy Vest is a member of the reporting team.
Larry Wilmore is a comedy writer and performer. He's the author of
"I'd Rather We Got Casinos," and is The Daily Show's Senior Black
Correspondent. He also wrote for In Living Color and created the
sitcoms The Bernie Mac Show and The PJs.
Spike Feresten wrote for David Letterman, The Simpsons, Seinfeld and Saturday Night Live before going in front of the camera. Now he's hosting an hour-long late-night talkshow on FOX called, appropriately, "Talk Show with Spike Feresten."
Neil Gaiman is the author of the dark children's fantasy novel "Coraline." Henry Selick is the director of the new stop motion animated film based on Gaiman's book.
Eric and Justin Stangel are the co-Head Writers of The Late Show with David Letterman, and Bill Scheft is a long-time monologue writer on the show. The Letterman writers have just published a new book compilation of one of the show's recurring bits, Late Show Fun Facts.
Stuart Schuffman is the author of "Broke-Ass Stuart's Guide to Living Cheaply in New York," a follow-up to his "Guide to Living Cheaply in San Francisco."
Rob Corddry is an actor and comedian. For four years, he was a correspondent on The Daily Show. His most recent project is a web series for thewb.com called Children's Hospital.
Patrick Borelli and Douglas Gorenstein are the authors of Holy Headshot, a book of bizarre and amazing head shots from actors and performers across the country. Note that this podcast is in .m4a (enhanced podcast) format, and should play in iTunes, on iPods and on Zunes. An MP3 of this show can be found at our website.
Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald are founding members of The Kids in the Hall. The group has reformed for a national tour of the US and an upcoming miniseries on Canadian television.
Alan Zweibel was an original writer on Saturday Night Live, a co-creator of the groundbreaking sitcom It's Garry Shandling's Show, and is a producer on and contributor to Curb Your Enthusiasm. His new book is Clothing Optional.
Pete Rothbart is an editor at Found Magazine, a magazine composed exclusively of things people have found -- from shopping lists to personal notes to (once) a dead frog.
Dan Savage is the writer of the sex and relationship advice column Savage Love, which runs in alternative newspapers around the country. He also edits the Seattle newspaper The Stranger. This interview was recorded live on stage at Seattle Sketchfest.
Graham Linehan is an Irish comedy writer, who co-created the sitcom Father Ted, and created the series The IT Crowd. He also worked on shows like Big Train, Brasseye, and The Day Today.
Marianna Palka is the writer, director and star of the independent film Good Dick, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is currently in theaters.
Janeane Garofalo is an actress and standup comic. She's currently a co-star on the FOX series 24, and is working the road as a standup as part of the "Satiristas."
Sandra Tsing Loh is a performer, commentator and writer based in Los Angeles. Her most recent book, about sending her daughter to school, is Mother On Fire: A True Mother*#$(ing Story About Parenting.
Louis CK is a comedian, writer and director. His new Showtime comedy special is Louis CK: Chewed Up. He created and starred in the HBO series Lucky Louie and wrote and directed the cult film Pootie Tang.
Andy Daly is an actor and comedian. He's probably best known as a former cast member on Mad TV, or as a mad announcer in last summer's Semi-Pro. He's just released his first CD, Nine Sweaters.
Chip Kidd is one of the world's best-known designers; he's designed book covers for innumerable authors. He's also a comic novelist. His most recent novel is The Learners.
Robert Popper was co-creator of the British comedy series "Look Around You." He's also the author, as "Robin Cooper" of "The Timewaster Letters," which are smash bestsellers in the UK, and have just been released in the US.
Roger Bennett is co-author of "Camp Camp: Where Fantasy Island Meets Lord of the Flies." It's a collection of reminiscences and ephemera related to summer camp.
The Explorers Club are a South Carolina-based rock band, whose music recalls the Southern California rock of the 1960s and the melodramatic pop of Phil Spector.
Ze Frank is an internet super-celebrity, and the principal of zefrank.com. His year-long daily video blog project, The Show, was one of the first great successes of the video blog world.
Scott Prendergast is the writer, director and star of the indie comedy Kabluey. The film, which also stars Lisa Kudrow, concerns a young man helping tend to his brother's children while his brother is serving in Iraq.
David A. Price is the author of The Pixar Touch: The Making Of A
Company. The book traces the history of Pixar from technology company to entertainment behemoth.
Benjamin Nugent is the author of "American Nerd: The Story of My People," a combination of memoir, sociology and reportage on the nerd in American life.
Ariel Schrag wrote the autobiographical comics Definition, Awkward and Potential while still in high school in the late 90s. The books were just re-published.
The Grouch is a fixture in the West Coast independent hip-hop scene, as a solo artist and as a member of The Living Legends. The group help blaze the trail for independent, underground hip-hop in the early to mid 1990s.
Guests Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver are the co-creators and stars of Reno 911. The Comedy Central series, which spoofs COPS-style reality shows, is entering the second half of its fifth season. The trio also collaborated on the series "Viva Variety," and first worked together as members of the MTV sketch series The State.
Mike Birbiglia is a standup comedian. His new special "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing: My Secret Public Journal Live" adapts stories from his popular online diary.
Mark Evanier is that author of Kirby: King of Comics, a lavishly illustrated biography of comic book legend Jack Kirby. He also worked with Kirby in the 1960s and 70s.
David Hajdu is an award-winning cultural historian. His book The Ten Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America, about the censorship of comics in the mid-1950s.
Bill James is the father of sabermetrics, that objective analysis and study of baseball. His bright, funny writing brought baseball analysis to the masses in the 1980s, and helped revolutionize the management of baseball teams in the 21st century. Today, he works for the Boston Red Sox.
Gaberiel Alvarez and Brent Rollins are members of the hip-hop media collective Ego Trip. The group produced the acclaimed magazine Ego Trip in the 1990s, and has since written two books and created several series and specials for VH1, the most recent of which is Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme.
John Moe is the author of Conservatize Me: How I Tried to Become a Righty With The Help of Richard Nixon, Sean Hannity, Toby Keith and Beef Jerky. He's also a contributor to American Public Media's Weekend America.
David Mitchell is half of the British comedy team Mitchell & Webb. They're the stars of the acclaimed UK TV series "Peep Show" and "That Mitchell & Webb Look," the latter of which is running in the US on BBC America.
We're having a t-shirt contest, looking for a design for a special, super-limited-edition T for our upcoming Maximum Fun Drive. Anyone can enter and anyone can vote on the entries. Visit pixish.com and search for TSOYA.
Ben Karlin was editor of The Onion, Executive Producer and Head Writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, a writer on America: The Book and co-creator of The Colbert Report. He's just edited a book called Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me.
A special video request from Jesse: ask your local public radio stations to carry The Sound of Young America. The stakes are huge for the future of the show, and a quick phone call or email can make a huge difference.
Tony Millionaire is the creator of the cartoon strip Maakies, which runs in alternative newspapers around the country. The strip has recently been picked up as a television series on adult swim called The Drinky Crow Show.
Joel Hodgson was the original host of Mystery Science Theater 3000. He and his cohorts J. Elvis Weinstein and Frank Conniff discuss their new venture, Cinematic Titanic, which is, format-wise, a followup to MST3K.
Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich are the hosts of the public radio program RadioLab. It's a boldly artful show about big ideas, seen largely through the lens of science. The program's aesthetic combines Krulwich's extensive reportorial background with Abumrad's history as an experimental radio producer and music composer. (If you got a partial download of this show last week, delete that file and re-download.)
Ken Freedman and Andy Brechkman are the hosts of the cult comedy-talk radio program Seven Second Delay on Jersey City freeform radio giant WFMU. Their show might be the highest concept talk show in the world. Ken also manages WFMU; Andy is the creator of the USA series Monk.
Zach Rogue is frontman of the San Francisco indie rock band Rogue Wave. High-quality downloads of his songs can be found online at our site, maximumfun.org.
Danny Hoch is an Obie award-winning actor and writer, and the founder of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival. His newest show, Takin Over, concerns the gentrification of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Steve Albini is one of the world's most accomplished rock producers. He's recorded over 1000 albums for more than 1000 bands, including Nirvana, The Stooges and Joanna Newsom. Recorded live in Chicago at the Second City.
Simon Rich is the author of the humor book Ant Farm and Other Desperate Situations. He's also a former editor of the Harvard Lampoon and a writer for Saturday Night Live.
Sarah Lamm is director of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox, a new documentary about the legendary Dr. Bronner and his peppermint soap, which has become a counter-cultural icon.
Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are the creators of two Cartoon Network [adult swim] shows -- Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric, Awesome Show, Great Job!
Dan Deacon is an electronic pop musician with a background in electronic art music. His latest album of frenzied ecstatic tunes is Spiderman of the Rings.
Rocker Kenna was born in Ethiopia and raised in Cincinatti and Virginia. His dramatic, new-wavey records are co-produced by Chad Hugo of the super-producing duo The Neptunes.
The Sklar Brothers, standup comics and television and radio hosts, return to The Sound of Young America. They have a new standup comedy CD called Sklar Maps, as well as a new series on Superdeluxe.com.
An audio adaptation of a piece from George Saunders' most recent book, The Braindead Megaphone. Features Dan Klein of Kasper Hauser, Andy Daly (The Office, Mad TV), John Hodgman, Xeni Jardin, Jonathan Katz and more.
Comedian Paul F. Tompkins is a regular on VH1 talking head series, was a castmember of HBO's Mr. Show and Real Time with Bill Maher, and is really really funny.
Mick Brown was the last journalist to speak with Phil Spector before the legendary music producer murdered a young woman. He is the author of Tearing Down the Wall of Sound.
The Lifesavas are the leading light in the Portland, Oregon hip-hop scene. Their new record is conceived as the soundtrack to a lost blacksploitation film.
Elmore Leonard is the author of 41 novels, including "Get Shorty," among many other best-sellers. He's perhaps the most critically-acclaimed popular fiction writer in the country. His most recent is "Up in Honey's Room."
Comedian Dave Hill is the host of the popular New York stage show The Dave Hill Explosion, as well as the star of the television program King of Miami.
Oliver Wang is a popular blogger and DJ, and a professor at CSU Long Beach. His new CD compilation of classic soul music is Soul Sides Volume Two: The Covers.
Michael Cera starred as George Michael on Arrested Development. He currently stars in the web series Clark and Michael, and will soon star in the film Superbad.
Comedy from Greg Proops, Jen Kirkman, Jonathan Coulton, Kasper Hauser, Coyle and Sharpe, The 3rd Floor, The Farce Side, Two Girls for Five Bucks and Drop Six.
Greg Saunier is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist in the rock band Deerhoof. The band is one of the most critically acclaimed in rock, and has toured with Radiohead, Wilco, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth and The Roots, among others.
Sa-Ra are a group of three hip-hop producer/performers whose first album The Hollywood Recordings is now available. They've worked with artists ranging from Dr. Dre and Ice T to Bilal and Pharoahe Monch.
With his brother Sid Krofft, Marty Krofft produced many of the 1970s best remembered childrens shows, including HR Puffnstuff and Land of the Lost, as well as a number of variety shows. The latter included Donnie and Marie Osmond, the Brady Kids, and Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.
Sarah Thyre is the author of the memoir Dark at the Roots. As an actress, she's been seen on Strangers with Candy and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, among other venues.
Anne Beatts was an original writer on Saturday Night Live as well as the first female editor of the National Lampoon. She also created the cult sitcom Square Pegs.
Louis Theroux is the author of The Call of The Weird: Travels in American Subcultures. He has been the host of several television series, including Weird Weekends, which aired in the US on Bravo.
Dave Willis is the co-creator of The Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a cult comedy series on Cartoon Network. He and his partner Matt Maiellaro also made the new film adaptation Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Moviefilm for Theatres.
Steven Wright is a legendary standup comedian. He's also an Academy Award winner, and has been featured in films including Reservoir Dogs and Half Baked.
Brian P. Stack is a writer and performer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Among his beloved characters are Frankenstein and The Ghost Crooner, and he created Peirre Bernard's Recliner of Rage.
Zach Galifianakis is a standup comedian who has been seen on Comedy Central's The Comedians of Comedy, and in his own VH1 series, "Late World with Zach."
Chicago rapper Rhymefest won a Grammy award before releasing his first LP. His debut record was "Blue Collar," and he's preparing his follow-up, called "El Che."
Soul singer Omar started the new classic soul movement in the late 1980s in the UK. It's taken fifteen years and the professed admiration of US stars like Erykah Badu and D'Angelo to bring him to US audiences.
David Koechner (Anchorman, SNL) and Dave (Gruber) Allen (Freaks & Geeks) talk about their new Comedy Central series, "The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show."
Guests Rob Beckerman and Rob Burnett. Beckerman and Burnett are the creators of the new series "The Knights of Prosperity," as well as the cult favorite dramedy "Ed."
Guests Paul Feig, Mike Birbiglia & Kasper Hauser. Paul Feig is the director of the new film Unnacompanied Minors, as well as the creator of Freaks & Geeks.
Guests Kurt Andersen, Andres du Bouchet, Elephant Larry and Jonathan Coulton. Kurt Andersen is the host of PRI's "Studio 360" and was the co-founder of Spy Magazine. Andrew du Bouchet is a New York comedian. Elephant Larry are a sketch comedy group, also from New York. Jonathan Coulton sings songs, and I believe lives in Connecticut.
Guests David Wain, Heather Lawless, Mike Daisey and Tanya Morgan. Our first live-on-stage program, recorded at The People's Improv Theater in New York City.
Guests V. Vale and Josh Karp. V. Vale is the legendary underground publisher behind Re/Search Publications, a series of zine-like books on the counter-culture. Josh Karp's new book examines the history of the National Lampoon, and how it changed American comedy.
Guests Amy Sedaris and Jimmy Carr. Amy Sedaris is an entertainer and now, a home economics maven. Jimmy Carr is a British comic and the author of a new book on jokes and comedy.
From the Kasper Hauser Comedy Podcast. I'm producing a podcast for our friends in Kasper Hauser, and I thought I'd share this hilarious video with you. Their book "SkyMaul" is in stores, and it's hilarious. I personally reccomend it extremely highly.
Guests Chris Elliott and Terry Gilliam. Chris Elliott is an actor and author, best known for his work on "Get A Life" and "Late Night with David Letterman. Terry Gilliam is a filmmaker and member of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Guests Matmos and Dan Levitin. Matmos are avante-garde electronic music artists, who create music from non-musical sound. Dan Levitin is a neuroscientist, and the author of "This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession."
The Sound of Young America presents Todd Barry live in San Francisco Saturday, October 8th at the Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk St. Shows are at 9 and 11:30 PM.
Guests John Hodgman and Jonathan Coulton. Our guests were college classmates, and remain close friends today. Hodgman is an author and is regularly seen on The Daily Show. Coulton is a comic singer-songwriter.
Guests Joe Flaherty & Allison Silverman. Joe Flaherty was a cast member on the seminal sketch comedy program SCTV. Allison Silverman is the Emmy-winning co-head writer and supervising producer of The Colbert Report.
Guests Michael J. Nelson, Ron Moore and Steve Eley. Mike Nelson was the host of Mystery Science Theater 3000, now he makes commentaries for Rifftrax. Ron Moore is co-creator of the SciFi Network series Battlestar Galactica. Steve Eley is editor of the sci-fi podcast Escape Pod.
Guests Merrill Markoe and Caleb Crain. Merrill Markoe is the author of the novel "Walking in Circles Before Lying Down," and was co-creator of "Late Night with David Letterman." Caleb Crain writes for the New Yorker; we speak with him about the Mass Observation movement of the 1930s and 40s.
Guests Maz Jobrani, Lisa Jervis & Andi Zeisler. Maz Jobrani is an actor and standup comedian who's the star of the upcoming sitcom The Knights of Prosperity. Lisa Jervis & Andi Zeisler are the founding editors of Bitch Magazine, "A Feminist Response to Popular Culture."
Guests Patton Oswalt and Masta Ace. Patton Oswalt is a standup-comic, the creator of "The Comedians of Comedy," and the co-star of CBS' The King of Queens; he is also star of the upcoming Pixar film "Ratatouille." Masta Ace is a hip-hop legend and original member of the Juice Crew.
Guests Eddie Argos of Art Brut and Paul Malmont. Paul Malmont is the author of "The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril." Eddie Argos is the frontman of the acclaimed rock band Art Brut.
Guests The Flaming Lips' Michael Ivins and Lawrence Weschler. Michael Ivins is a bassist and idea man with The Flaming Lips. Lawrence Weschler is a long-time New Yorker writer, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of "Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences."
Guests Dave Attell and Michael Showalter. Dave Attell is a celebrated standup comedian, and the former host of Comedy Central's Insomniac. Michael Showalter is best know for his work on MTV's The State and Comedy Central's Stella; he also wrote and directed the feature film The Baxter.
Guests Chuck Klosterman and Dave Foley. Klosterman is the author of "Killing Yourself to Live" and other pop-culture commentary. Foley is a member of The Kids in the Hall, and was the star of the sitcom Newsradio and the Pixar film A Bug's Life.
Guests Davy Rothbart and Jason Bitner. Davy Rothbart is editor of Found Magazine, a compendium of lossed and tossed documents and items. Jason Bitner is co-editor, and the editor of the book LaPorte, Indiana.
Guests Doug Martsch of Built to Spill and Bill Plympton. Bill Plympton is the Oscar-nominated animator of numerous short films. Doug Martsch is the frontman of Built to Spill, one of the indie rock world's most influential bands.
Guests Henry Owings and George Saunders. Henry Owings is the editor of Chunklet Magazine; we talk about their new publication, "The Overrated Book: The Only Book You'll Ever Need." George Saunders is an acclaimed satirist, we talk about his new book of short stories, "In Persuasion Nation."
Guests Matt Walsh and Charlie Todd of Improv Everywhere. Matt Walsh the star of the Comedy Central series Dog Bites Man, and a former correspondent on the Daily Show and co-founder of the Upright Citizens Brigade. Charlie Todd is the creator of the street prank group Improv Everywhere.
Guests Paul F. Tompkins, Tim & Eric and Will Franken. Tim & Eric are the creators of the Cartoon Network [adult swim] series Tom Goes to the Mayor. Paul F. Tompkins is a standup, and has been a regular on series including The Daily Show, Best Week Ever, Mr. Show and Real Time with Bill Maher. Will Franken was recently chosen "Best Comedian" in San Francisco by the SF Weekly.
Guests John Vanderslice, Xeni Jardin and Mark Frauenfelder. Mark Frauenfelder and Xeni Jardin are among the co-authors of Boing-Boing.net, the weblog visited by 1.75 million people every day. John Vanderslice is a recording artist, producer, and recording studio owner who has worked with MK Ultra, Spoon and The Mountain Goats. His Tiny Telephone Recordings is the country's premier all-analog recording studio.
Guest Kevin Kelly. Kevin Kelly of Wired Magazine tells us about the digital future of the old-fashioned book, and the copyright issues that complicate it.
Guests Dan Clowes and Annabelle Hurwitch. Dan Clowes is the screenwriter of the film "Art School Confidential," which is based on a short comic story from his anthology series Eightball. Eightball was also the birthplace of "Ghost World." Annabelle Hurwitch is the former host of TBS' "Dinner and a Movie," and the author of "Fired," a collection of firing stories from "entertaining people," including David Cross, Felicity Huffman, and Robert Reich. Also: a comedy sketch from Free Love Forum.
Guest Brian Posehn. We're joined by comedian, writer and actor Brian Posehn (Mr. Show, Just Shoot Me, Seinfeld, Newsradio, Comedians of Comedy). We talk about his long career in comedy. Plus comedy from Todd Barry, Meat, Hard n Phirm, Jonathan Coulton, and Flight of the Conchords.
Guests Philip Lopate, Sharon Waxman and Sean Uyehara. Philip Lopate is the editor of the Library of America's Anthology of American Film Criticism. Sharon Waxman is Hollywood reporter for the New York Times and author of "Rebels on the Backlot," which examines the indie film explosion of the mid-90s. Sean Uyehara is a programmer for the San Francisco International Film Festival. Also: a message from Jen Kirkman.
Guests Jonathan Katz and Jonathan Goldstein. Jonathan Katz is a comedian, and the co-creator and star of "Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist." Jonathan Goldstein is an acclaimed radio producer (This American Life, Wiretap) and the author of the novel "Lenny Bruce is Dead."
Guest Jimmy Pardo. Jimmy Pardo is a nationally headlining comedian and the former host of "National Lampoon's Funny Money" and AMC's "Movies At Our House." His long-running stage talk show "Running Your Trap" is a fixture in Los Angeles. He also recently began podcasting.
Guest Andrew WK. This week is our last broadcast from our long-time home base, KZSC in Santa Cruz. We bid an affectionate farewell to the station with two of our favorite segments from our six years in Santa Cruz. The first is a chat with Andrew WK -- he talks about his philosophy of life, and offers some rock & roll advice to Jesse's younger brother Brendan. Then, we hear the original old time radio-style serial "Mace Detective, Private Detective." Mace investigates the mystery of Popinjay's Whizbang, when he's not being distracted by Goofus & Gallant. Also: a brand new sketch from the Kasper Hauser Skit Club.
Guest Simon Reynolds. This week our theme is "Rip It Up & Start Again," and we investigate the history of Post-Punk music.
Our guest is Simon Reynolds,
a British pop music critic, and the author of the book which gives our
show its name. His book aims to retrofit the reputation of the rock
music of the early 80s, describing the sonically disparate artists who
created something new in the wake of the first punk movement's
self-destruction.
Guests Jim Gaffigan and the creators of Wonder Showzen. Jim Gaffigan is an actor and comedian who's been seen in films like "Super Troopers," and is one of the most popular touring comics in America. John Lee and Vernon Chatman created Wonder Showzen, one of the most bizarre, dark, and hilarious half-hours on television.
Guests Maira Kalman and George Pelecanos. This week, two looks at style. Maira Kalman created lyrical illustrations of the classic writing handbook The Elements of Style. George Pelecanos is a noted crime author, and a writer/producer for HBO's The Wire.
Guests Terry Jones and Dino Stamatopoulos. Terry Jones is a founding member of Monty Python, as well as an author, historian, actor and director. We talk about Python and all that other stuff. Dino Stamatopolous is the creator of Moral Orel on Cartoon Network's [adult swim], and a former writer for Conan O'Brien, Mr. Show, and the Ben Stiller Show.
Guests Nick Adams and Calvin Levels. Nick Adams is a comedian and the author of the new book "Making Friends with Black People." Calvin Levels is a Tony-nominated actor and the star of the one-man show "James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain."
Guests Chris Hardwick and Patton Oswalt. A classic from the vaults of The Sound of Young America featuring two of our best comedian pals... Chris Hardwick is half of Hard N Phirm, and the former host of Singled Out on MTV. Patton Oswalt is a co-star of CBS' The King of Queens, and the creator of The Comedians of Comedy. Both talk about their comedy, Chris talks about how he ended up hosting "Shipmates," and Patton talks about his passion for deep-fried Mac & Cheese.
This Monty Python footage hasn't been seen in over 30 years. Originally broadcast on Dallas' PBS affiliate KERA the day after Holy Grail was released, and discovered only recently. The nice folks at KERA and the Python organization were nice enough to share it exclusively with Sound of Young America listeners. Please note that this is a video cast -- it can be viewed on the video iPod or on your computer.
Guests Andy Daly and Richard Montoya. Andy Daly is a former castmember of MadTV, and a correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Showbiz Show with David Spade." He's also invented a "hip party game that's sweeping the nation," called "Mustache TV." Richard Montoya is 1/3 of the legendary Latino/Chicano sketch comedy group Culture Clash. Their newest play is "Zorro in Hell." He can also be seen in the upcoming Jack Black film "Nacho Libre."
Guests Louis CK, Florian Keller, and Neil Hamburger. Louis CK is one of America's best standup comics -- we talk with him about his new kind of old-fashioned sitcom. Florian Keller writes in his book "Andy Kaufman: Wrestling with the American Dream" that Kaufman's work was a satire of that cherished ideal. Also, America's Funnyman, Neil Hamburger stops in to talk about his sad, sad, sad life.
Guests Chad Trujillo, Paul Moller, and Dippin Dots. A look deep into the future. We talk with the inventor of the Skycar, with the discoverer of a new planet, and with a representative of the Ice Cream of the Future, Dippin' Dots. Plus the future of scrapbooking, reptiles, and more, and relationship advice from The Evil Computer Bent on World Domination.
Guests John Hodgman and Fred Rees. Is it possible to contain all of the world's knowledge within the boundaries of one book? One radio show? We find out here. John Hodgman can be seen on the Daily Show, heard on This American Life, and read in his new book The Areas of My Expertise. The book is a compendium of made-up facts more valuable than the vastest library. Fred Rees is creator of The Book of Cool, a DVD set (and book) that teaches you every cool skill you need in life, from pen-spinning to behind-the-back dribbling.
Guests Dan Piraro, Josh Kornbluth, Amanda Congdon, and Andrew Baron. This week's show features a mish-mash of folks. Dan Piraro is the creator of the popular newspaper comic "Bizarro." Josh Kornbluth is a monologuist and host of "The Josh Kornbluth Show." We talk with Josh about his show "Ben Franklin: Unplugged," in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth. Also, Andrew Baron and Amanda Congdon are the co-creators of Rocketboom, the world's most popular video blog, or v-log.
Guests Todd Bowman and Devin the Dude. Devin the Dude is a Houston-based rapper whose self-depracating, hilarious, and sometimes profane raps has made him a favorite of Dr. Dre. DJ Premier, and other hip-hop insiders. Todd Bowman is one of the world's foremost experts on Stax Records. We talk to him about the DVD release of the concert film "Wattstax."
Guests Fred Armisen and Brent Hoff. Fred Armisen is a star on Saturday Night Live, and he's really, really nice (funny, too). Brent Hoff is the editor of McSweeney's new DVD magazine, Wholphin. Also, music from the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and a comedy sketch from Kasper Hauser.
Guests H. Jon Benjamin and Demetri Martin. Jon Benjamin is best known as the voice of Ben, the layabout son in the long-running Comedy Central series Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. He's also a stage comedian. Demetri Martin is a standup comedian, former writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and the winner of the prestigious Perrier Award at the Edinborough Fringe. He's also a graduate of Yale University, and an NYU Law dropout. Also... how did that dog get in here?
Guest Trav S.D. This week we put on a show! Trav S.D. is the author of "No Applause: Just Throw Money," about the history of Vaudeville in America. We also hear from Hard n Phirm, Aziz Ansari, Dragon Boy Suede, Skillz, and more.
Guests John Waters, Christopher Moore, Davy Rothbart, and more. It's our annual Holiday Special, which we made last year and plan to play annually. Merry Christmas!
Guests Alex Blagg and Jarrett Krosoczka. With help from Alex Blagg of The Blagg Blogg and Jarrett Krosoczka, author of "Punk Farm," we choose winners of the New Sincerity Holiday Activity Contest.
Guest Chris Elliott. On this week's show, we sit down with Chris Elliott, the comedian who has retained his bizarre sensibility through a variety of media the past 25 years. Also, a vintage audio put-on by Coyle & Sharpe and Hang It Up / Keep It Up.
Guest Brendon Small. Brendon Small is the creator of Home Movies, but he's also an accomplished guitarist. In this bonus interview, you can hear Brendon talking about his new show "Dethclok," due in the Spring. The show concerns the world's most popular death metal band.
Guest Lars Holm. Lars Holm is the author of "Fawlty Towers: The Worshipper's Companion." We talk about the show, in recoginition of the PBS TV special "Fawlty Towers Revisited," which is running on local PBS stations this week. Also... a contest to win two copies of the book.
Guests Brendon Small, Mark & Michael Polish, and Peter Molyneux. Brendon Small is the creator of the Cartoon Network [adult swim] series Home Movies. Mark & Michael Polish are the directors of several films, including Twin Falls Idaho; they're also the authors of "The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking," a book about how to make an independent film. Peter Molyneux is the designer of the computer game "The Movies," which allows users to create films in-game. He's also designed quite a number of groundbreaking games, like "Populous" and "Black & White."
Guests Eugene Mirman, Kyle MacDonald, and Brandon Bird. Eugene Mirman is one of New York's top alternative comics. He not long ago released his first CD, "The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman." Brandon Bird is a painter, whose work has been celebrated across the country. It often features fringe celebrities and historical figures engaged in fantastical activities. Kyle MacDonald write the blog "One Red Paperclip." He's been trying to trade up, little by little, from a red paperclip to a house.
Guests Sarah Silverman, Brad Meltzer, Kasper Hauser. We return to our nerdiest theme. Sarah Silverman is the hottest comedian in the country as her film "Jesus is Magic" hits theaters. Brad Meltzer is a best-selling novelist, and the author of the controversial DC Comics graphic novel "Identity Crisis." The Kasper Hauser Skit Club are San Francisco's favorite sketch comedy group... they perform a sketch and read some of their fake Craigslist postings.
Guests Judith Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby. John Belushi was one of the great comics of the late 20th century. Belushi Pisano and Colby are the editors of the new book Belushi, an oral history of his life and times. The show also features clips from the National Lampoon Radio Hour which feature Belushi. Oh! And be sure to visit maximumfun.org for a neat web-only bonus mp3.
Guest Tom Scharpling. This week's show is given over to our pal Tom Scharpling, host of the cult radio program "The Best Show on WFMU." We hear two tracks from Tom's new CD with partner-in-joke Jon Wurster, recorded live on The Best Show. The program features comics calling in with assumed personae, being interviewed by the unflappable Scharpling.
A little message with some info on how you can use your status as a Sound of Young America listener to win a copy of the new Onion compilation, a DVD of "Martin & Orloff," or even a DVD set of Arrested Development season two.
Guests Henry Rollins and John Hodgman. Henry Rollins' 25 years on the road with Black Flag and The Rollins Band have left him really, really awesome. Also, John Hodgman, This American Life and McSweeney's contributor, talks about his new book, The Areas of My Expertise, and about hobos.
Guests Harvey Pekar and Andy Kindler. Andy Kindler is a standup comic best known for eviscerating the comedy industry in his annual "State of the Industry Address" at Montreal's Just For Laughs festival. He's appeared numerous times on Letterman, and was a featured player on Everybody Loves Raymond. Harvey Pekar is the author of the celebrated comic series "American Splendor," which was made into a film starring Paul Giammatti. He recently published a comic memoir entitled "The Quitter."
Guests Matt Walsh, Art Spiegelman, and Chris Elliott. Matt Walsh is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, and has appeared in numerous films. He talks with us about "Martin and Orloff," a film he starred in and co-wrote. Art Spiegelman is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, among other books and comics. Spiegelman talks with us about his newest book, "In the Shadow of No Towers." Chris Elliott is a comedy hero for his work on the David Letterman show, as well as on his anti-sitcom "Get A Life," and the film "Cabin Boy." He's written a comic mystery novel, "The Shroud of the Thwacker."
Guest Peter Guralnick on Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke is perhaps the most important figure in 20th century American pop music who isn't a household name. Cooke has been described as the man who invented soul. Peter Guralnick is his biographer, as well as the author of the definitive, two-volume biography of Elvis Presley among other texts.
Guests Robert Weide and Bruce Bridgeman. Bruce Bridgeman is a professor at UC Santa Cruz, and recently published a paper on legenday Santa Cruz tourist attraction The Mystery Spot. Robert Weide is the executive producer of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Larry David. Also, we play some improvised Van Morrison recordings that are so bizarre, they must be heard to be believed.
Guests Dan Savage and Neil Strauss. A pair of heterogenous perspectives on relationships. Dan Savage, the sex columnist, talks about his new book "The Commitment," about gay marriage. Neil Strauss, former New York Times music critic, talks about his book, "The Game: Penetrating the Secret Societ of Pickup Artists."
Guests Blackalicious and David Rakoff. David Rakoff's humorous essays enliven PRI's This American Life; his new collection is "Don't Get Too Comfortable." The hip-hop duo Blackalicious having been holding down the California alternative hip-hop scene for more than ten years. Their new album is "The Craft."
Guests Dick Blasucci and Talk Like a Pirate. This week, we travel to international waters... or at least Canada. We talk with Dick Blasucci, head writer of SCTV, the seminal sketch comedy show, and executive producer of Mad TV. Also, we chat with the creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Guests Chris Hardwick and Patton Oswalt. We take a trip back in time for a classic episode of The Sound. Patton Oswalt isn't just a co-star on The King of Queens. He's also one of America's best comics. Chris Hardwick is no slouch in that department, either -- though you may know him as the host of MTV's "Singled Out."
Guests Matt Besser and Rodney Rothman. Matt Besser of the Upright Citizens Brigade talks about their new sieries on Bravo, "Asssscat Improv." Rodney Rothman, former Late Show with David Letterman head writer, talks about his memoir "Early Bird." He retired to Florida at age 28. Also, music from New Orleans music legends.
Please visit the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org , and make a donation for disaster relief.
Jesse and Matt Besser of the Upright Citizens Brigade judge the results of a New Sincerity Contest. This time around, it's all about showing someone that you love them, New Sincerity style. Three good people win copies of "Created in Darkness By Troubled Americans," the McSweeney's humor anthology.
Guest Bob Edwards. We talk with Bob Edwards, long-time host of NPR's Morning Edition, and now host of the Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio. Also, we help a listener impress his girlfriend, and Jesse's little brother tells a joke.
Guests Ricky Jay and Brian Copeland. Ricky Jay is a magician, actor, and scholar of the history of strange performance. He talks with us about his book "Extraordinary Exhibitions" and his career. Also, Brian Copeland is a top-rated San Francisco radio personality and standup comic. He talks with us about his one-man show "Not A Genuine Black Man," which is the longest running solo show in San Francisco history.
Guests Louis CK and Chip Lord. This week, we examine the fuzzy lines between high and low culture. Louis CK is a standup comic, writer and producer, whose HBO sitcom premiers in January. Chip Lord is a founding member of the seminal art & architecture group The Ant Farm. Plus a song from NY sketch comics Elephant Larry.
Nerds attack on The Sound of Young America! Prince Paul and Maria Schneider are our guests. Prince Paul is the producer of De La Soul, Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and more. Maria Schneider is the creator of Pathetic Geek Stories, the comic strip that dramatizes the most awful shameful experiences of nerdy childhood. Also... Jesse's lady friend Theresa hosts, in an absurdly complex effort to attract playwright Tony Kushner to the show.
Some of the strangest things that have ever happened on The Sound of Young America. Our guests Kasper Hauser, the briliant San Francisco sketch group, talk about scamming scammers, we talk with Robert Hamburger, webmaster of realultimatepower.net about ninjas, and when we try to interview a lady from Steve Harvey's Big Time, disaster ensues.
Del Close was the great genius of improv theatre -- he trained and directed generations of performers, including John Belushi, Mike Meyers, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. We talk about his legacy with Ian Roberts of the UCB, Anthony King of the UCB Theatre, and Jeff Griggs, author of a book on Close, "Guru."
This week we talk with Paul Feig, creator of the series "Freaks and Geeks," and author of the new book, "Superstud: How I Became a 24-Year-Old Virgin." We also talk with Ian Parton, founder of the UK hip-hop/rock/dance band The Go! Team.
This week: interviews with Greg Behrendt, comic and superstar author, and The Fun Bunch, Hollywood super-writers, Mr. Show alums, and comedy empresarios.
"The Second City," with guest Anne Libera, author of "The Second City Guide to Improvisation." We talk about the history of the illustrious comedy school, and hear some audio from it's archives.
This week it's Good Friends and Great Times on The Sound of Young America. We talk about Summer movies with Doug Benson of The Marijuanalogues. We also chat with James Frey, author of "A Million Tiny Pieces," as well as the brand new "My Friend Leonard."
Our "Dirty Mind" show... featuring guests Blowfly, the oft-sampled original king of dirty rap and Legs McNeil, author of "The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry." (This episode contains some language that may be offensive to sensitive listeners)
We chat with comedy legend Paula Poundstone about... well, all kinds of stuff, she's very chatty. Plus... Would You Rather, Hang It Up / Keep It Up, and an odd new segment called "BBC Sports News."
This week's program explores The Nucular Option... our guests are Geoffrey Nunberg, Stanford Linguist and regular Fresh Air commentator, and Stella, the comedy trio (Michael Ian Black, Michael Schowalter, David Wain) behind a new eponymous Comedy Central series. You may know them from their work in MTV's The State, from the film Wet Hot American Summer, or from their appearances in various VH1 talking head shows. Original broadcast date June 4th, 2005.
This week we celebrate the New Sincerity Summer. We adjudicate the New Sincerity Summer contest, in which we asked listeners to contribute New Sincerity Summer activities. We also talk with Mike Veeck, minor league baseball empresario, son of baseball Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, and author of "Fun is Good." Mike talks with us about some of the promotions he's concocted, like "Disco Demolition Night" and "Mime-O-Vision." He also tells us about his son, who he has named "Night Train."
This week, we look talk with our old friend Davey Rothbart, editor of Found Magazine, a magazine composed completely of things people have found. Davey brings us some wonderful found sound, and reads a note or two. Lorca Shepperd talks with us about her film "Other Peoples' Pictures," about collectors of vintage snapshots. Also... we're running a contest this week to celebrate The Summer of the New Sincerity.
This week's show highlights the artists performing at the annual KZSC Laugh Riot. We hear from comedians Brent Weinbach and Jasper Redd, and have a live performance from Chris Hardwick and Mike Phirman.
This week, we talk with Carol Kolb, editor-in-chief of The Onion, America's Finest News Source. We also talk with Joe Garden, a writer for the paper who's running a campaign to replace Conan O'Brien as host of Late Night in 2008. Plus... comedy from the Sklar Brothers and Hard N Phirm.
On today's progam, we talk with two awesome old guys -- legendary comedian Shelley Berman and television science hero Mr. Wizard. Originally broadcast 4-30-05
Our guests on this week's show are solo performer Danny Hoch, founder of the NY Hip-Hop Theater Festival, and Sway & Tech, hosts of the World Famous Wakeup Show.
This week, we examine Rock Snobbery, with guests Ira Kaplan of indie rock legends Yo La Tengo, comedian Greg Proops, and Steven Daly, author of "The Rock Snob's Dictionary." Originally broadcast 4-16-05.
Bucky Sinister is the author of Get Up: A 12-Step Guide to Recovery for Misfits, Freaks, and Weirdos
There's odd standup comedy, and then there's standup comedy so odd it gets you banned from a network late night show... after you've already taped your appearance. Comedian Brent Weinbach is my guest.
An audio adaptation of a piece from George Saunders' most recent book, The Braindead Megaphone. Features Dan Klein of Kasper Hauser, Andy Daly (The Office, Mad TV), John Hodgman, Xeni Jardin, Jonathan Katz and more.
Guests Davy Rothbart and Jason Bitner. Davy Rothbart is editor of Found Magazine, a compendium of lossed and tossed documents and items. Jason Bitner is co-editor, and the editor of the book LaPorte, Indiana.
Guests Nick Adams and Calvin Levels. Nick Adams is a comedian and the author of the new book "Making Friends with Black People." Calvin Levels is a Tony-nominated actor and the star of the one-man show "James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain."
Guests Andy Daly and Richard Montoya. Andy Daly is a former castmember of MadTV, and a correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Showbiz Show with David Spade." He's also invented a "hip party game that's sweeping the nation," called "Mustache TV." Richard Montoya is 1/3 of the legendary Latino/Chicano sketch comedy group Culture Clash. Their newest play is "Zorro in Hell." He can also be seen in the upcoming Jack Black film "Nacho Libre."
Guests Chad Trujillo, Paul Moller, and Dippin Dots. A look deep into the future. We talk with the inventor of the Skycar, with the discoverer of a new planet, and with a representative of the Ice Cream of the Future, Dippin' Dots. Plus the future of scrapbooking, reptiles, and more, and relationship advice from The Evil Computer Bent on World Domination.
Guests John Hodgman and Fred Rees. Is it possible to contain all of the world's knowledge within the boundaries of one book? One radio show? We find out here. John Hodgman can be seen on the Daily Show, heard on This American Life, and read in his new book The Areas of My Expertise. The book is a compendium of made-up facts more valuable than the vastest library. Fred Rees is creator of The Book of Cool, a DVD set (and book) that teaches you every cool skill you need in life, from pen-spinning to behind-the-back dribbling.
Guests Dan Piraro, Josh Kornbluth, Amanda Congdon, and Andrew Baron. This week's show features a mish-mash of folks. Dan Piraro is the creator of the popular newspaper comic "Bizarro." Josh Kornbluth is a monologuist and host of "The Josh Kornbluth Show." We talk with Josh about his show "Ben Franklin: Unplugged," in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth. Also, Andrew Baron and Amanda Congdon are the co-creators of Rocketboom, the world's most popular video blog, or v-log.
Guests Todd Bowman and Devin the Dude. Devin the Dude is a Houston-based rapper whose self-depracating, hilarious, and sometimes profane raps has made him a favorite of Dr. Dre. DJ Premier, and other hip-hop insiders. Todd Bowman is one of the world's foremost experts on Stax Records. We talk to him about the DVD release of the concert film "Wattstax."
Guests Fred Armisen and Brent Hoff. Fred Armisen is a star on Saturday Night Live, and he's really, really nice (funny, too). Brent Hoff is the editor of McSweeney's new DVD magazine, Wholphin. Also, music from the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and a comedy sketch from Kasper Hauser.
Guest Trav S.D. This week we put on a show! Trav S.D. is the author of "No Applause: Just Throw Money," about the history of Vaudeville in America. We also hear from Hard n Phirm, Aziz Ansari, Dragon Boy Suede, Skillz, and more.
Guest Brendon Small. Brendon Small is the creator of Home Movies, but he's also an accomplished guitarist. In this bonus interview, you can hear Brendon talking about his new show "Dethclok," due in the Spring. The show concerns the world's most popular death metal band.
Guest Lars Holm. Lars Holm is the author of "Fawlty Towers: The Worshipper's Companion." We talk about the show, in recoginition of the PBS TV special "Fawlty Towers Revisited," which is running on local PBS stations this week. Also... a contest to win two copies of the book.
Guests Brendon Small, Mark & Michael Polish, and Peter Molyneux. Brendon Small is the creator of the Cartoon Network [adult swim] series Home Movies. Mark & Michael Polish are the directors of several films, including Twin Falls Idaho; they're also the authors of "The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking," a book about how to make an independent film. Peter Molyneux is the designer of the computer game "The Movies," which allows users to create films in-game. He's also designed quite a number of groundbreaking games, like "Populous" and "Black & White."
Guests Eugene Mirman, Kyle MacDonald, and Brandon Bird. Eugene Mirman is one of New York's top alternative comics. He not long ago released his first CD, "The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman." Brandon Bird is a painter, whose work has been celebrated across the country. It often features fringe celebrities and historical figures engaged in fantastical activities. Kyle MacDonald write the blog "One Red Paperclip." He's been trying to trade up, little by little, from a red paperclip to a house.
Guests Sarah Silverman, Brad Meltzer, Kasper Hauser. We return to our nerdiest theme. Sarah Silverman is the hottest comedian in the country as her film "Jesus is Magic" hits theaters. Brad Meltzer is a best-selling novelist, and the author of the controversial DC Comics graphic novel "Identity Crisis." The Kasper Hauser Skit Club are San Francisco's favorite sketch comedy group... they perform a sketch and read some of their fake Craigslist postings.
Guests Judith Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby. John Belushi was one of the great comics of the late 20th century. Belushi Pisano and Colby are the editors of the new book Belushi, an oral history of his life and times. The show also features clips from the National Lampoon Radio Hour which feature Belushi. Oh! And be sure to visit maximumfun.org for a neat web-only bonus mp3.
Guest Tom Scharpling. This week's show is given over to our pal Tom Scharpling, host of the cult radio program "The Best Show on WFMU." We hear two tracks from Tom's new CD with partner-in-joke Jon Wurster, recorded live on The Best Show. The program features comics calling in with assumed personae, being interviewed by the unflappable Scharpling.
Guests Henry Rollins and John Hodgman. Henry Rollins' 25 years on the road with Black Flag and The Rollins Band have left him really, really awesome. Also, John Hodgman, This American Life and McSweeney's contributor, talks about his new book, The Areas of My Expertise, and about hobos.
Guests Harvey Pekar and Andy Kindler. Andy Kindler is a standup comic best known for eviscerating the comedy industry in his annual "State of the Industry Address" at Montreal's Just For Laughs festival. He's appeared numerous times on Letterman, and was a featured player on Everybody Loves Raymond. Harvey Pekar is the author of the celebrated comic series "American Splendor," which was made into a film starring Paul Giammatti. He recently published a comic memoir entitled "The Quitter."
Guests Matt Walsh, Art Spiegelman, and Chris Elliott. Matt Walsh is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, and has appeared in numerous films. He talks with us about "Martin and Orloff," a film he starred in and co-wrote. Art Spiegelman is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, among other books and comics. Spiegelman talks with us about his newest book, "In the Shadow of No Towers." Chris Elliott is a comedy hero for his work on the David Letterman show, as well as on his anti-sitcom "Get A Life," and the film "Cabin Boy." He's written a comic mystery novel, "The Shroud of the Thwacker."
Guest Peter Guralnick on Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke is perhaps the most important figure in 20th century American pop music who isn't a household name. Cooke has been described as the man who invented soul. Peter Guralnick is his biographer, as well as the author of the definitive, two-volume biography of Elvis Presley among other texts.
Guests Robert Weide and Bruce Bridgeman. Bruce Bridgeman is a professor at UC Santa Cruz, and recently published a paper on legenday Santa Cruz tourist attraction The Mystery Spot. Robert Weide is the executive producer of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Larry David. Also, we play some improvised Van Morrison recordings that are so bizarre, they must be heard to be believed.
Guests Dan Savage and Neil Strauss. A pair of heterogenous perspectives on relationships. Dan Savage, the sex columnist, talks about his new book "The Commitment," about gay marriage. Neil Strauss, former New York Times music critic, talks about his book, "The Game: Penetrating the Secret Societ of Pickup Artists."
Guests Blackalicious and David Rakoff. David Rakoff's humorous essays enliven PRI's This American Life; his new collection is "Don't Get Too Comfortable." The hip-hop duo Blackalicious having been holding down the California alternative hip-hop scene for more than ten years. Their new album is "The Craft."
Guests Dick Blasucci and Talk Like a Pirate. This week, we travel to international waters... or at least Canada. We talk with Dick Blasucci, head writer of SCTV, the seminal sketch comedy show, and executive producer of Mad TV. Also, we chat with the creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Guests Chris Hardwick and Patton Oswalt. We take a trip back in time for a classic episode of The Sound. Patton Oswalt isn't just a co-star on The King of Queens. He's also one of America's best comics. Chris Hardwick is no slouch in that department, either -- though you may know him as the host of MTV's "Singled Out."
Guests Matt Besser and Rodney Rothman. Matt Besser of the Upright Citizens Brigade talks about their new sieries on Bravo, "Asssscat Improv." Rodney Rothman, former Late Show with David Letterman head writer, talks about his memoir "Early Bird." He retired to Florida at age 28. Also, music from New Orleans music legends.
Please visit the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org , and make a donation for disaster relief.
Guest Bob Edwards. We talk with Bob Edwards, long-time host of NPR's Morning Edition, and now host of the Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio. Also, we help a listener impress his girlfriend, and Jesse's little brother tells a joke.
Guests Ricky Jay and Brian Copeland. Ricky Jay is a magician, actor, and scholar of the history of strange performance. He talks with us about his book "Extraordinary Exhibitions" and his career. Also, Brian Copeland is a top-rated San Francisco radio personality and standup comic. He talks with us about his one-man show "Not A Genuine Black Man," which is the longest running solo show in San Francisco history. 
Guests Louis CK and Chip Lord. This week, we examine the fuzzy lines between high and low culture. Louis CK is a standup comic, writer and producer, whose HBO sitcom premiers in January. Chip Lord is a founding member of the seminal art & architecture group The Ant Farm. Plus a song from NY sketch comics Elephant Larry.
Nerds attack on The Sound of Young America! Prince Paul and Maria Schneider are our guests. Prince Paul is the producer of De La Soul, Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and more. Maria Schneider is the creator of Pathetic Geek Stories, the comic strip that dramatizes the most awful shameful experiences of nerdy childhood. Also... Jesse's lady friend Theresa hosts, in an absurdly complex effort to attract playwright Tony Kushner to the show.
Some of the strangest things that have ever happened on The Sound of Young America. Our guests Kasper Hauser, the briliant San Francisco sketch group, talk about scamming scammers, we talk with Robert Hamburger, webmaster of realultimatepower.net about ninjas, and when we try to interview a lady from Steve Harvey's Big Time, disaster ensues.
Del Close was the great genius of improv theatre -- he trained and directed generations of performers, including John Belushi, Mike Meyers, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. We talk about his legacy with Ian Roberts of the UCB, Anthony King of the UCB Theatre, and Jeff Griggs, author of a book on Close, "Guru."
"The Second City," with guest Anne Libera, author of "The Second City Guide to Improvisation." We talk about the history of the illustrious comedy school, and hear some audio from it's archives.
This week it's Good Friends and Great Times on The Sound of Young America. We talk about Summer movies with Doug Benson of The Marijuanalogues. We also chat with James Frey, author of "A Million Tiny Pieces," as well as the brand new "My Friend Leonard."
Our "Dirty Mind" show... featuring guests Blowfly, the oft-sampled original king of dirty rap and Legs McNeil, author of "The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry." (This episode contains some language that may be offensive to sensitive listeners)
We chat with comedy legend Paula Poundstone about... well, all kinds of stuff, she's very chatty. Plus... Would You Rather, Hang It Up / Keep It Up, and an odd new segment called "BBC Sports News."
This week's program explores The Nucular Option... our guests are Geoffrey Nunberg, Stanford Linguist and regular Fresh Air commentator, and Stella, the comedy trio (Michael Ian Black, Michael Schowalter, David Wain) behind a new eponymous Comedy Central series. You may know them from their work in MTV's The State, from the film Wet Hot American Summer, or from their appearances in various VH1 talking head shows. Original broadcast date June 4th, 2005.
This week we celebrate the New Sincerity Summer. We adjudicate the New Sincerity Summer contest, in which we asked listeners to contribute New Sincerity Summer activities. We also talk with Mike Veeck, minor league baseball empresario, son of baseball Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, and author of "Fun is Good." Mike talks with us about some of the promotions he's concocted, like "Disco Demolition Night" and "Mime-O-Vision." He also tells us about his son, who he has named "Night Train."
This week, we look talk with our old friend Davey Rothbart, editor of Found Magazine, a magazine composed completely of things people have found. Davey brings us some wonderful found sound, and reads a note or two. Lorca Shepperd talks with us about her film "Other Peoples' Pictures," about collectors of vintage snapshots. Also... we're running a contest this week to celebrate The Summer of the New Sincerity.
This week's show highlights the artists performing at the annual KZSC Laugh Riot. We hear from comedians Brent Weinbach and Jasper Redd, and have a live performance from Chris Hardwick and Mike Phirman.
This week, we talk with Carol Kolb, editor-in-chief of The Onion, America's Finest News Source. We also talk with Joe Garden, a writer for the paper who's running a campaign to replace Conan O'Brien as host of Late Night in 2008. Plus... comedy from the Sklar Brothers and Hard N Phirm.
On today's progam, we talk with two awesome old guys -- legendary comedian Shelley Berman and television science hero Mr. Wizard. Originally broadcast 4-30-05
Our guests on this week's show are solo performer Danny Hoch, founder of the NY Hip-Hop Theater Festival, and Sway & Tech, hosts of the World Famous Wakeup Show.
This week, we examine Rock Snobbery, with guests Ira Kaplan of indie rock legends Yo La Tengo, comedian Greg Proops, and Steven Daly, author of "The Rock Snob's Dictionary." Originally broadcast 4-16-05.
