The Last Laugh

Bruce Vilanch has written monologues for Oscars hosts like Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, Ellen DeGeneres, David Letterman, and more. And in this episode, he not only shares some of his favorite jokes, but also reveals which of the many hosts he worked with over more than two decades gave him the most trouble. As the 97th annual Academy Awards approach this weekend, Vilanch walks through the highs and lows of his illustrious Oscars career, from nearly blowing it his first time out with the disastrous Rob Lowe and Snow White opening, through the game-changing Billy Crystal years, to the Anne Hathaway and James Franco-hosted year that marked the unfortunate end of his long run. Along the way, he also shares some shocking stories about Oscar presenters, including his jaw-dropping theory about the origins of that Richard Gere gerbil rumor—and reveals why he turned down the opportunity to write for the very first season of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ And Vilanch, whose new book ‘It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time’ chronicles his biggest failures as a writer, takes us inside the most infamous bomb of his career: ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special.’ ‘It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time’ on AmazonFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

Comedian Rosebud Baker has gone through intense tragedy, grief and addiction in her life. But for her, nothing has been more viscerally “traumatic” than the experience of becoming a mother. Baker—who grew up traditionally conservative as the granddaughter of George H.W. Bush’s secretary of state James Baker—finds a way to turn that trauma into super dark comedy in her new Netflix special ‘The Mother Lode,’ half of which she recorded while pregnant and the other half after giving birth. In this episode, Baker discusses how her political upbringing has influenced her approach to both parenting and comedy and how becoming a mother has only made her more ambitious to succeed as a comedian. She also discusses the unique challenges of her role as “Weekend Update” writer on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ what makes a great joke for Colin Jost and Michael Che, why she thinks her viral comments about ‘SNL’ host Travis Kelce “practicing reading” were misconstrued, and why she’s “dying” to perform at a celebrity roast. Follow Rosebud Baker on Instagram @rosebudbaker and TikTok @rosebudbaker Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

30 years ago, Kevin Nealon was anchoring “Weekend Update” on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Now he's walking the woods with his famous comedian friends on the YouTube series Hiking with Kevin. In this episode, Nealon talks about how that show got started and looks back at his ‘SNL’ days, including how he got hired, when he knew it was time to leave and shares some hilarious stories about Lorne Michaels, Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Al Franken, and more. And ahead of the big ‘SNL50’ special this coming weekend, Nealon reflects on sharing the stage with fellow “Update” anchors Norm Macdonald, Colin Quinn, and Seth Meyers at the show’s 40th anniversary event in 2015. This episode was originally published on September 10, 2019.Follow Kevin Nealon on Instagram @kevinnealonFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

Carol Leifer has been a working stand-up comedian and writer for nearly 50 years. And she shows no signs of slowing down. After winning her first-ever Emmy Award in 2024 for her work on ‘Hacks,’ Leifer, 68, is currently toiling away in the writers’ room for her 11th Academy Awards ceremony, this one airing live with host Conan O’Brien on March 2. And she is about to release a new book that attempts to teach people ‘How to Write a Funny Speech’ for the big events in their own lives. In this episode, Leifer looks back at her extensive comedy career, including her one season as a writer on ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ “weird year,” her role as a “real-life Elaine” behind-the-scenes at ‘Seinfeld,’ why she tried to talk Larry David into keeping ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ alive, what she makes of ‘Curb’ star Cheryl Hines embracing the MAGA movement alongside her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr., channeling her experience with aging into Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance on ‘Hacks,’ and a lot more.Pre-order Carol Leifer’s new book ‘How to Write a Funny Speech’Follow Carol Leifer  on Instagram @carolleifer Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

Rose Matafeo was almost finished making the final season of her exceptional rom-com series ‘Starstruck’ when she started to seriously question the show’s essential premise. The experience of going through a breakup while trying to find a satisfying ending for the love story at the center of her show has now inspired her latest stand-up special, ‘On and On and On,’ streaming now on Max. In this episode, Matafeo discusses what it was like to move away from the genre that has defined much of her career into something a bit darker and more nuanced on stage. The 32-year-old New Zealander comedian also reveals the high-concept show she almost made instead of ‘Starstruck,’ whether she can imagine returning to the characters of Jessie and Tom in the future, and why she decided to cut jokes at the expense of Taylor Swift fans from her new hour.Follow Rose Matafeo on Instagram @rosematafeo Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

There are few comedians more ready to take on the insane cast of characters that will surround Donald Trump in his second term than James Adomian. The 44-year-old comedian has made a name for himself over the past two decades for his spot-on impressions of political characters like Elon Musk, Jesse Ventura, and the MyPillow guy Mike Lindell. In this episode, Adomian talks about channeling some of his many voices into his first-ever hour-long stand-up special ‘Path of Most Resistance’ on YouTube (after all the major streamers turned him down). He also talks about why he never ended up on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ getting two big breaks from late-night hosts Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Kimmel, and what it was like to finally do his Bernie Sanders impression to Bernie Sanders’ face. Watch James Adomian’s ‘Path of Most Resistance’ on YouTubeFollow James Adomian on Instagram @jadomian Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

It’s been more than a year since Roy Wood Jr. left ‘The Daily Show’ and he’s not looking back. This week, the comedian is dropping what is arguably his best stand-up special yet on Hulu and next month will see the second season premiere of his CNN comedy quiz show ‘Have I Got News for You.’ In his return to the podcast, Wood discusses why he wanted to make his yearning for connection the central theme of his new hour, ‘Lonely Flowers.’ He also opens up about his decision to leave ‘The Daily Show’ behind before Comedy Central brought back Jon Stewart and elevated his former correspondent colleagues to become rotating hosts—as well as what it’s been like to bring some much needed humor to CNN in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s re-election. Follow Roy Wood Jr. on Instagram @roywoodjr Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

Stephanie Hsu broke through—and landed her first Oscar nomination—three years ago in Best Picture winner ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ That film had some oddball laughs for sure, but if you had only seen her in the dual roles of the diminutive Joy Wang and villainous Jobu Tupaki, you would have no idea she was capable of playing a classic rom-com lead like she does in the new Peacock series ‘Laid.’ In this episode, Hsu talks about how a background in comedy helped prepare her to portray a deeply flawed character who discovers that all of the men she has slept with are dying and why getting cast in the show felt like a “huge step” in the fight for representation on TV. She also gets into the wild journey from her audition for ‘Everything Everywhere’ to the Oscars, explains why she turned down the chance to possibly play Glinda in John M. Chu’s ‘Wicked,’ and teases her upcoming buddy comedy with ‘Abbott Elementary’s’ Quinta Brunson.Follow Stephanie Hsu on Instagram @stephaniehsuofficial Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

Jim Gaffigan is heading into 2025 an even bigger comedy star than he was before—thanks to a guest-starring gig on ‘Saturday Night Live’ as vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, a headlining spot alongside Donald Trump at the Al Smith dinner, his latest stand-up special ‘The Skinny’ (which delves into the secret behind his massive weight loss) and a big national tour with Jerry Seinfeld. In his return to the podcast after more than five years, Gaffigan goes deep on the state of his career and how his approach to stand-up has evolved over time. He talks about being in the room with Trump and Kamala Harris at key points during their campaigns and reflects on his decision to risk his clean comedy brand by unleashing a profanity-laced tirade against Trump during the previous election. Follow Jim Gaffigan on Instagram @jimgaffigan Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast