Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac - a daily briefing on comedians, and the comedy industry

Johnny Mac covers Conan O’Brien on Michelle Obama’s podcast discussing optimism, career setbacks, luck, and privilege, and notes Conan is hosting the Oscars with a Hollywood Reporter cover story coming later. He recaps Stephen Colbert receiving the WGA Walter Bernstein Award and joking about Paramount and revolution. New releases include David Cross’s special “The End of the Beginning of the End” (website now, YouTube April 7), Cameron Esposito’s album “Person of No Consequence” (March 20), Derek Stroop’s Netflix special “Nostalgic,” Matt Koff’s Veeps special “Catman,” and Mario Adrion’s YouTube special “My Struggle.” He mentions Kathleen Madigan’s 1978 hoops shoot win and travel sports, Bill Maher getting bumped at a Lakers game, Blake Griffin comparing standup to the NBA, Matt Rife taking a tennis lesson, and Fox News interviewing Iranian-American comic Max Amini on avoiding politics and describing life under Iran’s regime. He closes with a reminder to vote in Comedy Survivor in the podcast’s Facebook group. 00:25 Conan on Optimism02:20 Colbert WGA Jokes03:14 New Specials Roundup05:25 Kathleen Madigan Hoops06:05 Travel Sports Rant07:26 McDonalds Order: 2 Cheeseburger Meal, Diet Coke08:26 Bill Maher Courtside at Knicks-Lakers09:03 Blake Griffin Standup09:42 Matt Rife Tennis  11:04 Max Amini on Iran 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.

Johnny Mac recaps the latest week of Comedy Survivor, where listeners vote in the Daily Comedy News podcast Facebook group to eliminate comedians from Comedy Island. .  Who goes home?????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.

Johnny Mack delivers Daily Comedy News, addressing speculation that Theo Von is the Masked Singer character “High Voltage,” then argues the voice and body type don’t match. He reports Conan O’Brien will give the keynote at Harvard’s 375th commencement and recaps Conan’s appearance on Michelle Obama’s podcast discussing performing at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the Oscars, and the difficulty of doing news-driven comedy today.Other items include Jerry Seinfeld dining in Worcester before shows, Amy Schumer dancing on camera at a Knicks game, and book recommendations from John Mulaney (Jim Newton’s Grateful Dead book and Ken Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion) and Anthony Jeselnik (Vonnegut’s Mother Night). He notes an SNL UK trailer, Matt Rife setting a Prudential Center comedy attendance record, Ike Barinholtz launching the trivia podcast Funny You Ask March 25, and Margaret Cho saying Trump repeatedly asked her to do The Apprentice. 00:17 Theo Von on the Masked Singer?01:52 Conan Harvard And Oscars02:48 Conan On Michelle Obama04:32 Seinfeld Dinner Order05:08 Amy Schumer Knicks Cam05:32 Mulaney Book Club Picks07:49 SNL UK Trailer08:35 Matt Rife Attendance Record09:31 Comedy Survivor Tease09:45 Ike Barinholtz Trivia Pod12:12 Margaret Cho Trump Invite 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.

Johnny Mac discusses mixed-to-negative reviews for Bill Lawrence’s new HBO comedy “Rooster,” starring Steve Carell and John C. McGinley, citing Daniel Feinberg (Hollywood Reporter) and Variety. The LA Times previewed a one-night, untelevised, unrecorded, sold-out March 21 SoFi Stadium show with Jo Koy and Gabriel Iglesias, expected to run four hours with special guests and major production. Hindustan Times recapped Gianmarco Soresi’s India trip, and a field interview with Jeff describes Soresi’s “Theater Adult” cabaret at Joe’s Pub featuring audience participation and Ben Platt. He also highlights a New York Times praise piece on Chris Fleming’s special and notes Jimmy Fallon’s first Late Show guest appearance, ending with Fallon’s personalized “My Way.”00:00 Daylight Savings Rules00:37 Cabinet Firing Jokes01:07 Rooster Review Roundup03:53 SoFi Stadium Comedy Event06:22 Gianmarco Soresi in India07:09 Trivia Guys Field Report10:23 Chris Fleming Special Praise12:18 Fallon Colbert Crossover13:12 My Way Parody FinaleBecome 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.

Johnny Mac’s Daily Comedy News reports Jim Gaffigan will play President Grover Cleveland in Season 4 of HBO’s The Gilded Age. Billboard’s January comedy boxscore has Nate Bargatze back at No. 1 with $5.1M and 64,100 tickets across seven shows; other mentions include John Mulaney, Jim Gaffigan, Matt Rife, and Bert Kreischer with their grosses, ticket counts, and show totals. Jimmy Kimmel argues he should host the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, joking that a mentalist (Oz Pearlman) is hosting instead. Chelsea Handler tells cleveland.com comedy should address the uncomfortable and says she won’t make fun of children. Chris Fleming discusses Mike Birbiglia on Caleb Hearon’s podcast. Jim Breuer describes finding local material, keeping his shows PG-13, and shifting toward writing dramedy. The episode also previews the 2026 Sydney and Perth Comedy Festivals and critiques a Vanity Fair piece on online talk shows.00:18 Jim Gaffigan Cast Reveal for those who read this part but not the epsidoe title01:08 Billboard Comedy Box Score02:02 Kimmel Wants WHCD Gig02:59 Chelsea Handler On Purpose04:00 Chris Fleming Birbiglia Talk05:03 Jim Breuer Local Material06:48 Breuer On Career Control07:37 Australia And Festival Plans08:32 Sydney And Perth Lineups10:20 Vanity Fair Talk Show Rant1 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.

Johnny Mac recaps “My Romcom,” Scrubs Season 10 Episode 3 (aired March 4, 2026), noting ratings and renewal are unknown but expecting a pickup due to buzz. The episode centers on divorced JD and Elliot fighting over discharging a patient, with JD now in a Dr. Kelso-like role; a directing choice keeps them visually separated until they reconnect in a conversation about rebuilding their friendship. Subplots include Turk working with surgical interns, Elliot dealing with an IT guy who shuts down hospital systems, an “Up”-lookalike ex-husband search, and scenes with an annoying new HR lady; Carla appears, and Joel Kim Booster’s character is absent.John also shares production details on recreating the hospital set in Vancouver, a 3D entra 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.

Johnny Mac covers late-night jokes from Jimmy Fallon and Michael Kosta about the ongoing Iran story and Trump’s lack of a plan for Iran’s leadership, plus a Colbert riff. He reacts to a Hollywood Walk of Fame clip of Gabriel Iglesias calling himself a “sellout” for taking Saudi Arabia money, calling it a bad look.Marc Maron praises Chris Fleming’s HBO special as inventive and hopeful for standup, and Fleming also appears on Caleb Hearron’s podcast. New Scrubs posts 11.36 million cross-platform viewers in five days, prompting talk of a likely season two.Jim Jefferies says Shane Gillis holds the comedy “championship belt,” while Taylor Tomlinson discusses the difficulty of cruise-ship and church gigs and explains leaving After Midnight due to workload and health. Deadline reports comedians’ hesitation to move podcasts to Netflix because deals require removing new video from YouTube and may undercut broader revenue and leverage for future specials. 00:17 Late Night Iran Jokes00:57 Gabe Iglesias Walk of Fame02:06 Marc Maron Praises Chris Fleming03:22 Scrubs Ratings and Hulu Rant05:19 Jim Jefferies Comedy Belt goes to Shane Gillis06:22 Taylor Tomlinson Tough Gigs08:18 After Midnight Exit Explained10:26 Comedy Stock Market Segment11:30 Netflix Comedy Podcast Deal Debate 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.

Marc Maron recalled that he bombed in Australia in the early ’90s, was sent home from a three-week headlining run with only 30 minutes of strong material, and relapsed on the flight back.Dan Soder describes a 2014 set shaken by self-doubt until Conan O’Brien told him the crowd “sucked.”Nate Bargatze explains moving back to Tennessee so his now-13-year-old daughter would have a normal upbringing. Rolling Stone profiles Chris Fleming, who rejects being labeled “weird,” describes his surprising, stream-of-consciousness style, and dismisses virality and follower counts.The Guardian reviews Maria Bamford’s energetic, economically minded set. Charlie Berens discusses depolarization and his Midwest-focused special. Minneapolis comedians respond to ICE’s presence. Other items include Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe at Knicks games, TJ Miller hinting at Deadpool, Mike Epps saying he’s tired of apologizing, and TMZ reporting Cardi B’s alleged SNL backstage meltdown over a Weekend Update joke. 00:21 Marc Maron Bombs Abroad02:20 Dan Soder Saved by Conan02:54 Nate Bargatze Goes Average03:27 Chris Fleming Profiled Yet Again04:39 Fleming vs Viral Numbers05:01 Maria Bamford Reviewed05:59 Charlie Berens Midwest Vibes06:43 Minneapolis Comics Roast ICE07:21 Comedy Survivor Voting Plug07:36 Quick Hits Knicks and Deadpool08:14 Mike Epps Done Apologizing08:43 Cardi B SNL Meltdown 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.

Comedy Ratings, Kyle Kinane’s Phish Weekend, and Colbert’s Reported CBS TensionsJohnny Mac’s Daily Comedy News recaps late-night jokes about the war, including Seth Meyers on Mar-a-Lago security and Stephen Colbert’s “Epic Fury” anagram. He cites Deadline streaming numbers: Katt Williams’ latest Netflix special drew 7.1M first-week views; Dave Chappelle’s Sticks & Stones leads Netflix US debuts, while Shane Gillis’ Live in Austin tops on YouTube; he also notes Amazon and Hulu special performance and how platforms count views differently. Kyle Kinane describes doing comedy during Phish’s Cancun takeover and his outlook on “micro happiness” and the difference between fame and success. Johnny mentions Vulture’s profile of Chris Fleming and People’s interview with Nate Bargatze denying he’s quitting standup. He summarizes a New York Times piece on arena comic Max Amini’s crowd-work-driven, globally accessible shows and ends with Comedy Survivor voting, Radar Online’s report on Colbert’s ratings and workplace tensions, Jimmy Carr’s renewed Am I the A-Hole, Trump attending the White House Correspondents’ dinner hosted by mentalist Oz Pearlman, and Johnny criticizing an unpolished Jim Gaffigan clip. 00:10 Late Night War Jokes00:41 Streaming Special Ratings02:22 Kyle Kinane Finds Joy03:12 Chris Fleming Profile04:28 Nate Bargatze Rumors05:10 Max Amini Arena Comedy07:13 Comedy Survivor Update07:56 Colbert Ratings Rumor09:09 Jimmy Carr Renewed09:40 WHCD Host Announced11:09 Gaffigan Clip Finale 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.

Johnny Mac delivers a Daily Comedy News roundup, highlighting Conan O’Brien’s Interview Magazine chat with Chris Fleming and praising Fleming’s HBO Max special as his top special of the year. He covers confusion over Jim Carrey’s appearance at the César Awards, with makeup artist Alexis Stone claiming he impersonated Carrey while the awards deny it and detail Carrey’s planned visit. He notes Stavros Halkias and Manscaped auctioned a hairball for $510 to benefit the Testicular Cancer Society, and previews Gabriel Iglesias receiving a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. He reports a women-of-The-Office reunion at the SAG Awards organized by Mindy Kaling, backlash to an unaired SNL “Tourettes” sketch, and a scrapped Trump cold open. He shares podcast/production updates, Comedy Survivor voting, ratings for “Scrubs” and “The Greatest Average American,” NYT streaming special picks, and an AI music video parody about Iran by A Flock of Eagles.00:24 Conan Meets Chris Fleming02:29 Jim Carrey Clone Rumors04:01 Stavros Hairball Charity04:52 Office Cast Reunion Talk06:10 SNL Cut Sketch Backlash08:03 Host Updates and Thanks09:22 Comedy Survivor and Ratings11:04 Winter Specials Picks13:27 A Flock of EaglesBecome 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.