Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac - a daily briefing on comedians, and the comedy industry Fallon Pasta Sauce Deal, ‘Trump Epstein Files’ Jokes, and Comedy World Political Fallout
Feb 16, 2026
15:14
Johnny Mac delivers a politically heavy Daily Comedy News episode. He reports that a planned pasta sauce collaborationinvolving Jimmy Fallon fell through, and discusses Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue proposal to rebrand the Epstein files as the “Epstein Trump files,” including Kimmel saying he trademarked the phrase. He summarizes a Hollywood Reporter piece about “comedy bros” (including Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, Theo Von, and Tony Hinchcliffe) cooling on Trump,.
00:00 Welcome to Daily Comedy News (and why today gets political)
00:31 Fallon’s pasta sauce deal derails
01:08 Kimmel’s ‘Epstein Trump Files’ bit: comedy vs. the horror of the story
02:38 Hollywood Reporter: Comedy bros, podcasts, and political influence
05:30 Dave Chappelle in Minnesota s
06:34 Joe Rogan reacts to being named in the Epstein files
08:14 SAG-AFTRA vs. Netflix: Pete Davidson’s ‘video podcast’ deal
09:14 Cristela Alonzo reschedules to avoid sharing a venue with Kill Tony
10:32 New comedy pods & festival check-in: Melbourne’s Callback + JFL Vancouver
11:56 Comedy Survivor update + how to join the Facebook group
12:24 Ben Bankas controversy: venue move, backlash, and ‘don’t go’ debate
14:20 Matt Rife stars in Red Clay Strays music video + wrap-up and tomorrow’s tease
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.
Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.
COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.
Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com
For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening. $4.99/month
John's Substack about media is free.
This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.
00:00 Welcome to Daily Comedy News (and why today gets political)
00:31 Fallon’s pasta sauce deal derails
01:08 Kimmel’s ‘Epstein Trump Files’ bit: comedy vs. the horror of the story
02:38 Hollywood Reporter: Comedy bros, podcasts, and political influence
05:30 Dave Chappelle in Minnesota s
06:34 Joe Rogan reacts to being named in the Epstein files
08:14 SAG-AFTRA vs. Netflix: Pete Davidson’s ‘video podcast’ deal
09:14 Cristela Alonzo reschedules to avoid sharing a venue with Kill Tony
10:32 New comedy pods & festival check-in: Melbourne’s Callback + JFL Vancouver
11:56 Comedy Survivor update + how to join the Facebook group
12:24 Ben Bankas controversy: venue move, backlash, and ‘don’t go’ debate
14:20 Matt Rife stars in Red Clay Strays music video + wrap-up and tomorrow’s tease
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.
Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.
COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.
Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com
For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening. $4.99/month
John's Substack about media is free.
This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.