Comedy

Satirist and host of the public radio program Le Show, Harry Shearer on how he's been dealing with the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on his show.

Shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, Onion editor Rob Siegel and writer Todd Hanson produced two issues of the paper which featured articles including "U.S. Urges Bin Laden to Form Nation It Can Attack," and "Security Beefed up at Cedar Rapids Public Library."

Editor and writer Walter Kirn's new novel Up in the Air (Doubleday) is about 35 year-old Ryan Bingham, a well-traveled business man who has a goal of accumulating one million miles in his frequent flyer account. Kirn is the literary editor for GQ and a contributing editor to Time and Vanity Fair. His fiction and non-fiction work has appeared in The New Yorker and the New York Times Magazine. He also the author of two other novels, and a selection of short stories.

Writer David Rakoff is a regular contributor to Outside, the New York Times Magazine, and public radios This American Life. One of his peers, writer Paul Rudnick says of him, –Rakoff is a comic saint... an ideal mix of the crabby and the debonair.— Rakoff has a new collection of essays, Fraud. He's also appearing in Amy & David Sedaris new off-broadway show.

Meadows was a regular on TVs Saturday Night Live for some 9 years. Leon the Ladies Man, a swinging politically incorrect radio love doctor that he played on the show, is featured in the film The Ladies Man which is now out on video.

Bob Newhart's been a part of the American comedy landscape since 1961 when his debut comedy album "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart" became a surprise hit. Since then he's starred in three TV shows, including the Peabody award winning original "The Bob Newhart Show." And appeared in numerous films. There's a new Rhino anthology of his classic routines, "Something Like This. . .The Bob Newhart Anthology." Recently Newhart was honored at the Aspen Comedy Festival. This Fall Newhart is scheduled to co-star in a pilot for a new TV show.

Josephson tells us some of his favorite mohel jokes.

Satirist and host of the public radio program Le Show, Harry Shearer considers the upcoming Presidential inauguration of George W. Bush and has some parting remarks about President Clinton.

Comedian Richard Lewis. His new book is called “The Other Great Depression,” (Public Affairs, 2000) and chronicles his recovery from alcoholism. He’s an award winning stand up comic and has appeared in over twenty movies and TV shows. Currently, he co-stars in Larry David’s HBO show “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Robert Smigel (SMY-gull) is a writer and creator of animated comic episodes for Saturday Night Live, including “X-Presidents” and “The Ambiguously Gay Duo.” His newest effort is the new Comedy Central series “TV Funhouse,” described as a broken kid’s show for adults. The Funhouse combines real animals, puppet animals, short films and animation (Wednesday nights at 10:30). Smigel has also written a new comic book based on the X-presidents filmed shorts (called “X-Presidents”/Villard Books).

Christopher Buckley was George Bush Sr.’s speechwriter from 1981-1983 when Bush served as Vice President. The son of William F. Buckley, he is the author of the political satire, "Thank you for Smoking" which poked fun at everything and everyone associated with the tobacco industry- from anti-smoking advocates to tobacco company executives. Buckley is the editor of Forbes’ FYI Magazine. He’ll discuss the presidential campaign from the perspective of a Bush supporter.

Former standup comic and creator and current host of ABC’s “Politically Incorrect,” Bill Maher. On his late-night talk show, Maher invites celebrity guests from all parts of the political spectrum to discuss politics and the issues of the day.

Satirist Al Franken. For 15 years he was a cast member of Saturday Night Live, creating such well-loved characters as Stuart Smalley (author of "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"). His bestselling satire, "Why Not Me: The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency" is now in paperback (Delta). He’s also coordinating producer of this Sunday’s “SNL Presidential Bash 2000.”

Comedian and actor Tim Meadows. Meadows was a regular on TV’s Saturday Night Live for some 9 years. Leon the Ladies Man, a swingin’ politically incorrect radio love doctor that he played on the show, is now featured in the new film “The Ladies Man.” Meadow recently left SNL to co-star in the new comedy “The Michael Richards show” which premieres Tuesday, October 24th.

Comedian Marc Maron. His hit one man show in Manhattan, “Jerusalem Syndrome,” is described as a “poetically paranoid rant on corporate culture and the quest for spiritual fulfillment.” Maron has appeared on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and was the host of Comedy Central’s “Short Attention Span Theater.” He appears in Cameron Crowe’s new film, “Almost Famous.”

Director/producer Nick Park is the academy award- winning creator of the much-loved animated British characters Wallace & Gromit. Director/producer Peter Lord is Chairman and co-founder of the clay animation studios Aardman, where PARK created his short films featuring Wallace & Gromit (“A Grand Day Out,” “The Wrong Trousers” and “A Close Shave.”) They’ve just collaborated on their first full-length feature film, “Chicken Run” an animated escape film with chickens as the escapers.

Writer David Sedaris is best known for his contributing work with Public Radio’s “This American Life.” He’s written three books of essays, “Barrel Fever,” “Naked,” and his newest “Me Talk Pretty One Day” (Little Brown)

Jon Stewart is the co-producer and anchorman of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” The show is an alternative take on the news. Previously Stewart had a part on HBO’s “The Larry Sanders Show.” He also hosted Comedy Central’s “Short Attention Span Theater.”

Actress Amy Sedaris. She’s the star of the comedy series “Strangers With Candy” that airs Monday and Saturday nights on Comedy Central. Sedaris plays Jerri Blank, a 47-year old ex-con, ex-prostitute lesbian high school freshman. She’s the sister of David Sedaris, a humor writer who has been on Fresh Air several times. Amy and David have produced and written several plays together, including the 1996 Obie award winning “One Woman Shoe.”