The Last Laugh

Tim Meadows was once the longest-serving cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ These days, he’s subtly stealing scenes as the third lead on a CBS sitcom, ‘DMV.’ But despite plenty of ups and downs over the course of his nearly 40-year career, Meadows seems to be at peace with his particular level of fame. In this episode, Meadows traces the arc of his career, from his unusual path to Lorne Michaels’ office to the disastrous attempt to turn his most popular recurring character into a full-length feature film. He reveals why he really didn’t want the actual Monica Lewinsky to make a cameo as herself with The Ladies Man Leon Phelps—and what changed his mind. Meadows also explains why he ultimately decided to leave ‘SNL’ after 10 seasons, the late-night TV gig he now regrets turning down, and how he found creative fulfillment playing supporting roles in films like ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Walk Hard.’Follow Tim Meadows on Instagram @real_timmeadows Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s Obsessed YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sebastian Maniscalco is consistently one of the highest-grossing stand-up comedians in the country. With his Netflix special ‘Is It Me?’ and his autobiographical movie ‘About My Father’ co-starring Robert De Niro, he’s on the verge of finally becoming a household name. In this episode, Maniscalco opens up about doubling down on nostalgia and (mostly) avoiding controversy on stage. He also talks about how the comedy world has changed for better and worse since he got his start in the late ‘90s, shares stories from the sets of ‘Green Book’ and ‘The Irishman’ and explains how he decided to embrace the most embarrassing moment of his career on Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show.’This episode was originally published on December 6, 2022.Follow Sebastian Maniscalco on Instagram @sebastiancomedy Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patton Oswalt begins his latest stand-up special (‘Black Coffee and Ice Water,’ streaming on Audible Nov. 20) by reading a fake disclaimer about how he’s gone full MAGA in an attempt to avoid the authoritarian hand of Donald Trump. It’s a funny bit that also underscores the comedian’s very real fears about being an outspokenly anti-fascist voice in 2025 America. In his third appearance on the podcast, Oswalt talks about the freedom of putting together an audio-only special, which includes jokes about his teenage daughter and celebrating 30 years on Prozac. He also shares his visceral reaction to Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, Donald Trump’s “mediocrity,” the MAGA-friendly comedians who happily took Saudi Arabia’s money, and what keeps him performing stand-up nearly 40 years into his career. Patton Oswalt’s ‘Black Coffee and Ice Water’ on AudibleFollow Patton Oswalt on Instagram @pattonoswalt Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fred Armisen knows that nobody can ever tell whether he’s joking or not—and he doesn’t quite understand why. Despite being one of the hands-down funniest ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast members of all time, Armisen can, in fact, be pretty sincere when he wants to be. It’s a trait that shines through on his latest project: a painstakingly produced album of ‘100 Sound Effects’ that provides some observational laughs here and there but is generally an accurate document of what the world sounds like in 2025. In this episode, Armisen discusses how his obsession with sound helped him become an expert mimic on ‘SNL,’ whether he was impersonating President Barack Obama or capturing a very specific Californian dialect. He talks about roasting Lorne Michaels during the ‘SNL50’ special, whether he could imagine taking over at least part of his former boss’ job, and reacts to the ‘Portlandia’ memes that have come to epitomize that city’s response to Donald Trump’s threats. Buy ‘Fred Armisen: 100 Sound Effects’ Get tickets to see Fred Armisen liveFollow Fred Armisen on Instagram @sordociego Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new conspiracy-laden film ‘Bugonia’ has been described by critics and audiences alike as “bleak.” But the comedy writer who penned the script doesn’t see it that way. In this episode, Will Tracy shares how he went from ‘The Onion’s’ editor-in-chief to winning Emmys for ‘Last Week Tonight’ and ‘Succession’ to writing the mind-bending script for Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest collaboration with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. He discusses ‘Bugonia’s’ very 2025 political message and unpacks what could be considered a deeply cynical ending that he finds oddly hopeful about the future of the planet—if not humanity. Tracy also explains why he found writing for John Oliver so miserable, how he managed to identify with Kendall Roy on ‘Succession,’ and what it feels like to act opposite Jeremy Strong. Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people probably don’t realize Alex Borstein is the same actress who broke out on ‘MADtv,’ has been voicing Lois Griffin on ‘Family Guy’ for 25 years, and won two Emmys for her role as Susie Myerson on ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’ And yet, while she may still not be a household name, she has slowly but surely put together a more accomplished and steady career than she ever could have imagined. In this episode, the comedian talks about returning to her stand-up roots for her latest one-woman show, ‘Alex Borstein Is Thirsty,’ and looks back on the twists and turns of her unlikely Hollywood journey. That includes her misgivings about how her iconic character Ms. Swan went from a loving impression of her grandmother to an unfortunate racist caricature and how she landed the lucrative ‘Family Guy’ gig over some much bigger names. Borstein also gets into her beloved HBO cult classic series ‘Getting On’ and why she decided to deliver an anti-fascist call to arms when she accepted her second Emmy Award for ‘Maisel.’ And finally, a deeply embarrassing story about the time she appeared opposite Halle Berry in ‘Catwoman.’ Get tickets to see Alex Borstein liveFollow Alex Borstein on Instagram @alexborstein Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Jones has been a comedic force of nature for nearly 40 years. And in her new stand-special ‘Life Part 2’ (streaming this Friday, Oct. 24 on Peacock), she displays more bravado and confidence on stage than ever. In this episode, Jones breaks down everything that went into getting to this moment in her career, from controversial breakout performance on SNL’s “Weekend Update” to her difficult decision to walk away from that show after five seasons. She discusses her unique relationship with Lorne Michaels, her very real crush on Colin Jost, and working with “scared little boy” Donald Trump the week he hosted the show. Jones also gets into how much she wanted ‘The Daily Show’ host gig and weighs on a new SNL cast that once again features zero Black women. Follow Leslie Jones on Instagram @lesdogggg Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By all accounts, John Candy was such a decent and kind person that when Colin Hanks set out to direct the definitive documentary about his life and career, he knew there wouldn’t be any “dirt” to uncover. In the words of Candy’s friend Bill Murray, “I wish I had some more bad things to say about him.” But ‘John Candy: I Like Me’ (streaming now on Amazon Prime Video) does explore the beloved comic actor’s many personal demons. In this episode, Hanks breaks down why he wanted to make a film about Candy, including his personal connection to the comedy star through his father, Tom Hanks, and their shared struggles with issues of anxiety and mortality. Hanks discusses his heartbreaking interview with Macaulay Culkin, reveals the piece of archival footage he was most excited to uncover, and later, discusses his own journey from teen actor to filmmaker—including his first-ever response to the “nepo baby” discourse. Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first 10 years of Phoebe Robinson’s comedy career, she “dreaded” getting up to tell jokes every night. It wasn’t until she found a way to genuinely have fun on stage that she has produced her best hour of stand-up yet in the new special ‘I Don’t Wanna Work Anymore’ (now streaming on YouTube). In her return to the show, the former co-host of the popular 2 Dope Queens podcast takes on the rise of the MAGA manosphere podcasters who are suddenly having second thoughts about helping Donald Trump win. She also shares her unfiltered thoughts on the greedy comedians taking millions from the Saudi government to look the other way on human rights abuses at the Riyadh Comedy Festival and weighs in on the “divorce” rumors that have plagued Barack and Michelle Obama.Follow Phoebe Robinson on Instagram @dopequeenpheebs Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Forte is one of the only comedians to ever turn down an initial offer from Lorne Michaels to join ‘Saturday Night Live.’ But after three years in the cast, he found himself at a crossroads on the show. In his return to the podcast, Forte discusses the second lease on life that Michaels gave him after coming closer than anyone knew to cutting him loose. The star of two Netflix series this year—‘Haunted Hotel’ and ‘The Four Seasons’—also talks about his love of animation and playing the husband of his former ‘SNL’ boss Tina Fey. And Forte shares updates on the unlikely fate of his canceled and then resurrected ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ movie, reveals the potential for a ‘MacGruber’ sequel, and shares behind-the-scenes stories from his wild night at the ‘SNL50’ anniversary special.Follow Will Forte on Instagram @orviv Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch full episodes of The Last Laugh podcast on the Daily Beast’s YouTube channelHighlights from this episode and others at TheDailyBeast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hannah Einbinder had never really acted before she was cast as Ava Daniels opposite Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance on ‘Hacks.’ Now, she’s a three-time Emmy nominee. In this episode, Einbinder opens up about the overconfidence she brings to that role as well the onstage persona she displays in her excellent debut stand-up special ‘Everything Must Go’ on Max. She also talks about overcoming the intimidation of acting with Jean Smart, compares the generational gap between their characters to her relationship with her own mother (original SNL cast member Laraine Newman), and reveals how Stephen Colbert helped land her the role that changed her career. And later, Einbinder shares her unfiltered thoughts about the “old f*cking guys” in comedy who complain that political correctness is stifling their craft. This episode was originally published on August 14, 2024.Follow Hannah Einbinder on Instagram @hannaheinbinderFollow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the course of his long and distinguished career, Rob Reiner has directed some of the most beloved and acclaimed films in Hollywood history. But he had never directed a sequel until ‘Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues.’ In this episode, Reiner breaks down why he decided to reunite with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer for one last mockumentary 41 years after they invented the genre with ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ He talks about how the comedy of the film has evolved now that they are in their 70s and 80s, and the secret to playing the straight man opposite someone as effortlessly funny as Guest. Reiner also gets into the state of America under Trump 2.0, how Elon Musk drove him away from Twitter, and what he learned about being a politically outspoken celebrity from Norman Lear and Jane Fonda. Finally, he reflects on his relationship with his late father Carl Reiner, recalls the first time he met Mel Brooks, and considers the enduring legacy of classic films like ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘When Harry Met Sally.’Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When they were shooting the pilot episode of ‘The Office,’ Steve Carell told Rainn Wilson that playing Dwight Schrute could change his life forever. And he could not have been more right. In this episode, Wilson breaks down his unique career journey from working character actor to sitcom star all the way through his latest film ‘Code 3’ (in theaters Friday Sept. 12) in which he plays a burnt out paramedic alongside fellow comedian Lil Rel Howery. His role in the new movie, as well as much of what he has done since ‘The Office’ ended in 2013, feels very different from Dwight, and purposefully so. Wilson opens up about the massive blessing and occasional curse of being so closely associated with such a hugely popular character. Addressing the perennial question about whether ‘The Office’ could be made today, he admits that the “clueless, insensitive, racist, sexist” jokes hit differently now. Wilson also reveals the “relief” he felt when NBC killed off a Dwight-centered spinoff and shares whether that character could ever pop up on the new Peacock spinoff ‘The Paper’—or perhaps even a movie version of ‘The Office.’Follow Rainn Wilson on Instagram @rainnwilsonFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raphael Bob-Waksberg was still in his 20s when he convinced Netflix to produce his audacious Hollywood satire about a washed-up, alcoholic former TV star who also happens to be a horse. Now, as a 41-year-old father of two, the creator of ‘Bojack Horseman’ is back with another animated Netflix series that is just as boldly funny and devastatingly emotional, but without the crutch of constant animal puns. In this episode, Bob-Waksberg opens up about his “vulnerable” new show, ‘Long Story Short,’ which depicts a Jewish family in the Bay Area that is not unlike his own. He breaks down how the show’s unique time-jumping format cleverly tricks viewers into feeling like they have known the characters for years and reflects on how the essential Jewishness of the story has been interpreted—or perhaps, misinterpreted—by critics. Bob-Waksberg also looks back on the legacy of ‘Bojack,’ including what it did or not predict about the state of “Hollywoo” in 2025 and what it would take for him to revive those characters after saying goodbye to them five years ago. Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the course of eight years in the cast of ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Beck Bennett performed comedy with more than 150 celebrity hosts. But no one—not even Donald Trump himself—was as difficult to work with as Elon Musk. In the 300th episode of The Last Laugh, Bennett looks back on his SNL audition, discusses what it was like to join the show with one of his oldest friends Kyle Mooney (with whom he just launched his own new podcast), and reveals exactly what made Musk a more “offensive” collaborator than Trump. He explains how he knows Vladimir Putin liked his shirtless impression a lot more than Trump liked Alec Baldwin’s portrayal, how he knew it was finally time to leave the show, and how Lorne Michaels nearly talked him into staying. Finally, Bennett talks about the two very different movies he appears in this summer: voicing a cartoon dog in the raunchy Netflix movie ‘Fixed’ and joining the DC cinematic universe as The Daily Planet’s Steve Lombard in ‘Superman.’Follow Beck Bennett on Instagram @beckbennettFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 years into her run at ‘The Daily Show,’ Desi Lydic is riding high with three Emmy nominations—including two for her short-form series “Foxsplains” in which she tries to wrap her head around MAGA’s most unhinged conspiracy theories. In this episode, the correspondent-turned-rotating host talks about how the series has granted her more empathy for brainwashed Trump supporters and looks back on processing his second term victory in real-time while hosting ‘The Daily Show.’ She talks about wanting to be the show’s “female Stephen Colbert” and how things changed once she dropped her Megyn Kelly-inspired character and started being herself on screen. Lydic also gets into the precarious state of late-night TV, from the “shocking” Colbert cancellation to the fate of Jon Stewart under the new Paramount leadership. Follow Desi Lydic on Instagram @desilydicFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The three creators of the Emmy-nominated comedy series ‘Hacks’ had no idea they were predicting the future when they had their central late-night host character defiantly speak out against her network bosses and then lose her dream job. In this episode, Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky break down the “surreal” parallels between Deborah Vance’s arc in Season 4 and the real-life tribulations of Stephen Colbert. They talk about the importance of late-night TV, what its future might hold, and reveal how they got Jimmy Kimmel to play a bully version of himself on the show. The trio also goes deep on casting leads Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, as well as this year’s Emmy-nominated guest stars Robby Hoffman and Dance Mom herself, Julianne Nicholson. And they tease what might be in store for Season 5—including why fans are so desperate for Deborah and Ava to finally hook up. Follow Paul W. Downs on Instagram @paulwdownsFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Akiva Schaffer prefers to stay behind the scenes. But that doesn’t mean he’s any less funny than his Lonely Island bandmates Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. The three middle school best friends started shooting videos right out of college before landing a plush gig making digital shorts for ‘Saturday Night Live,’ including hits like “Lazy Sunday,” “Dick in a Box,” “Jizz in My Pants” and many others. In this episode, Schaffer talks about their unusual path to SNL and how directing outrageous movies like ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ led him to take on a meta ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers’ reboot for Disney+ starring Samberg and John Mulaney—and now the huge ‘Naked Gun’ reboot starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. He also explains why he might be single handedly responsible for Netflix deciding to greenlight ‘I Think You Should Leave’ with Tim Robinson. This episode was originally published on May 24, 2022.Follow The Lonely Island on Instagram @thelonelyisland Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natasha Rothwell can be a bit defensive when it comes to her character on ‘The White Lotus.’ The actress, who just scored her second Emmy nomination for the hit HBO show, may have struggled at first to understand why Belinda did what she did at the end of Season 3. But she also believes she “deserves” what comes to her and gets why she ultimately decided to “f— the morality.” In her return to the podcast, Rothwell opens up about how she used her own past struggles with money to relate to her character on the show. As a former SNL writer herself, she reacts to the “White Potus” sketch that caused an uproar and frustrated her castmate Aimee Lou Wood. Rothwell also discusses how another co-star, Jason Isaacs, helped fuel rumors on real-life drama between cast members, reflects on the disappointing cancellation of her Hulu show ‘How to Die Alone,’ and explains why she has spent nearly a decade tweeting “you are trash” at Donald Trump every single day. Follow Natasha Rothwell on Instagram @natasharothwellFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch this episode of The Last Laugh on YouTubeHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a fraught time to be a political comedian in America. It’s something Stephen Colbert learned when CBS suddenly canceled ‘The Late Show.’ And it’s something comedian Jena Friedman experienced in an even more visceral way the last time she crossed the border back home to the U.S. In her fourth appearance on The Last Laugh, Friedman weighs in on the end of the late-night show that served as her very first TV writing gig and tells the harrowing story of being grilled about her jokes by U.S. Customs and Border Security. She also talks about putting together her new TED talk on comedy and AI, recalls the time she nicknamed her fetus “Jeffrey Epstein” on Colbert’s show, and previews her new stand-up hour ‘Motherf---er’ about becoming a mom and losing her own mom at the same time. Get tickets to see Jena Friedman liveFollow Jena Freidman on Instagram @jenafriedmanFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodWatch this episode of The Last Laugh on YouTubeHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.