Carl Reiner, “I Just Remembered”
Carl Reiner is, inarguably, a comedy legend. You may know him from recent movies like "Ocean's 11/13" or classics like "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming." He created "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and has appeared on dozens of other shows, including as...
Remembering John Pinette
I was saddened to hear about the death of John Pinette, a very funny man whose life ended in a Pittsburgh hotel room this weekend at age 50. I first met John in 1998 when his career was taking off. I saw him perform on a Thursday night at the DC Improv and tear the...
Harold Ramis
Harold Ramis -- who wrote, directed, or acted in some of the funniest movies ever ("Animal House," "Ghostbusters," "Stripes," "Groundhog Day") -- died today at age 69. So I dug into my archives to find an interview I did with him about his then-new movie, "The Ice...
David Steinberg’s Quality Balls
David Steinberg has been in the comedy business for 50 years, as a performer, writer, director, and producer. On Monday night, his "Inside Comedy" series will return for its third season (with guests Jimmy Fallon and Zach Galifanakis), preceded by a 90-minute...
Thou Shalt Not Laugh
Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin, the writers/directors/actors behind The Reduced Shakespeare Company, have written and performed (with other cast members) some very funny shows over the last two decades. Besides the Bard, they have lampooned and condensed the history...
Stephen Merchant
You may know Stephen Merchant’s work as co-writer and co-director of the original British version of "The Office" and the HBO series "Extras," as well as "An Idiot Abroad" and "Life’s Too Short." He’s won an Emmy, 2 Golden Globes, 3 BAFTAs, and 4 British Comedy...
Kathleen Madigan Again
I have been a fan of comedian Kathleen Madigan for a long time as she climbed the career ladder from comedy clubs to medium-sized venues to the 3,000-seat theaters she now fills regularly. She recently released her third stand-up special, "Madigan Again" (now...
Sinbad Is Back
You may know the comedian Sinbad from his years on the sitcom “A Different World” or movies like “Necessary Roughness” and “House Guest.” He had some tax problems in the last few years that cost him a lot of money -- and his house -- but he's working again. He’s one...