Paul Provenza Knows Way Too Much About Comedy!

About this episode

Paul Provenza has spent basically his entire life thinking about comedy. Which sounds exhausting. Paul joins Jay to talk about what actually makes someone funny, why George Carlin scripted his performances like a play, how Sarah Silverman seemed to figure out her comedic voice immediately, and why Anthony Jeselnik understands something most comedians don't: sometimes shutting up is part of the joke. They also get into The Aristocrats — the completely insane idea Paul and Penn Jillette talked about for years before finally buying some cameras and convincing a bunch of legendary comedians to tell the same filthy joke. Then there's MAD Magazine, Bugs Bunny, John Mulaney, Doug Stanhope, Set List, Paul's upcoming documentary, getting older in show business, losing people you love, and the surprisingly difficult question of what actually makes comedy... comedy. Basically, two comedy nerds spend 50 minutes talking about why things are funny. Which, somehow, is funny. Subscribe to Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen for more conversations with writers, comedians, actors, creators, and thought leaders exploring life, creativity, politics, and the human experience. Website: https://www.do