Comedians | 60 Minutes Full Episodes

Kevin Hart - July 7, 2024 (11s)

• Kevin Hart is a successful stand-up comedian who has also built an entertainment and business empire, and was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in March at the age of 44 (21s).
• Hart's comedy style is conversational, often incorporating stories about his personal life, including his wife and four kids, as well as his own insecurities and shortcomings (36s).
• Despite being open about his life on stage, Hart was initially hesitant to discuss his height, which has been reported as 5'2, 5'4, and 5'5 by different sources, but ultimately confirmed that he is indeed 5'5 (1m3s).
• Hart has been telling jokes about himself, including his height, for over two decades, and believes that his audience laughs with him, not at him, as he shares relatable experiences and says things that others may not have the courage to say (1m48s).
• One of his notable jokes is about his wife watching "tall people porn," which led to a real conversation about their desires and insecurities (1m58s).
• Hart is the highest-grossing comedian today, selling out arenas and football stadiums worldwide, and is known for his ability to connect with his audience (2m27s).
• To prepare for his comedy tours, Hart works on new material in small comedy clubs, often with his writers, Harry Rashford and Joey Wells, who help him develop his jokes in bullet points (3m8s).
• Hart prefers to test his material in front of live audiences, rather than writing it down, and is willing to take risks and figure things out in real-time on stage (3m45s).
• During his performances, Hart often asks the audience to hand over their phones to prevent recording, as he wants to ensure that his unfinished material is not leaked or shared without his consent (4m5s).
• Kevin Hart's collaborators, Harry Ratford and Joey Wells, take notes on his performances to help him improve, with Harry focusing on structure and Joey looking for ways to make the jokes funnier (4m28s).
• Hart's friends, including Joey Wells, Harry Ratford, Spank Horton, and Naim Lyn, are also known professionally as the Plastic Cup Boys (5m0s).
• Spank Horton and Naim Lyn have known Hart since he was a teenager growing up in a rough neighborhood in North Philadelphia (5m23s).
• Hart was not always as confident as he is today, but his friends and family noticed his confidence from an early age (5m30s).
• Home movies show that Hart was always the family entertainer, and his mom, Nancy Hart, kept a close eye on him and planned every moment of his day (5m46s).
• Hart's mom made him redo his homework if it was not done correctly, and she also made him read books and answer quizzes to ensure he understood the material (5m58s).
• Hart credits his mom with his success and discipline, and he appreciates the way she pushed him to work hard (6m28s).
• Hart's dad, Henry Witherspoon, was in and out of prison and struggled with addiction, but he eventually got help and turned his life around with Hart's support (6m33s).
• Hart has talked openly about his dad's struggles in his standup comedy, including a 2011 special called Laugh at My Pain (6m39s).
• Despite the difficulties he faced in his childhood, Hart is able to find humor in his experiences and share them with his audience (7m16s).
• Hart's dad passed away in 2022, but Hart was able to help him get clean before he died (8m11s).
• Kevin Hart's father loved hearing stories about him told in front of thousands of people, and Hart often talks about his dad in his standup routines (8m15s).
• When Hart started doing standup at 18, he struggled to find places to perform and would take gigs wherever he could, including bowling alleys, cabaret clubs, and strip clubs (8m24s).
• One of the most heartbreaking moments for Hart on stage was when a woman in the audience at a strip club reacted with disgust to his comedy, making him feel like he had made a mistake with his career choice (8m49s).
• Hart thought he was about to make it big when he shot a sitcom for ABC called The Big House in 2003, but the network ultimately decided not to pick up the show (9m10s).
• The rejection was a turning point for Hart, who realized that he needed to take control of his own career and not rely on others to determine his success (9m57s).
• Hart started a small production company called Heartbeat and began making his own hour-long standup specials, which he marketed relentlessly through social media (10m26s).
• Hart's hard work paid off, and he was eventually picked to host the Oscars in 2018, but he stepped down after controversy surrounding comments he had made about gay people in the past (10m47s).
• Hart initially refused to apologize for his comments, but later did so after realizing the harm they had caused and the importance of being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community (11m8s).
• Today, Hart is involved in numerous business ventures, including a nutrition supplement company, a fast food chain, a tequila brand, and a $100 million Venture Capital fund (11m44s).
• Kevin Hart's production company, Heartbeat, is now worth more than $650 million, transforming him from just a comedian to an investment, studio, and partner looking for partnerships (12m19s).
• Hart's business model focuses on collaborations rather than one-on-one situations, as this setup is not in his best interest (12m33s).
• Heartbeat earns money from various projects, including movies, shows, podcasts, and commercials featuring Kevin Hart, as well as from his stunt double (12m47s).
• Kevin Hart's financial status is not publicly disclosed, but he is expected to become a billionaire in the future (12m53s).
• Hart's goal is to create a new norm for people in the entertainment industry, teaching them how to be more than just part of the business, but also to understand the inner workings of the industry (13m9s).

Jon Stewart - February 3, 2002 (13m26s)

• Satire is often said to be something that closes on Saturday night, but John Stewart has found success in poking fun at politics, media, and national security through his satirical coverage, earning him a prestigious Peabody Award and an Emmy Award for writing (13m36s).
• Stewart's Daily Show on Comedy Central is in direct competition with the 11:00 news in most of the country, and its sharp, edgy humor is stealing an audience from traditional news broadcasts (13m58s).
• The Daily Show is described as television news's "evil, demented twin" that is so full of itself it almost looks real, and it deconstructs the day's events and personalities while having a go at all of the conventions of television news itself (14m15s).
• Stewart and his team use a nod and a wink to tackle topics like Bill Clinton's new Manhattan office, which is expected to cost taxpayers millions (14m31s).
• The show's success is attributed to a real frustration with the aggregate, assaultive effect of television news, which often portrays the country as being in a deep economic depression and a rampant crime wave (15m4s).
• Stewart's approach to news is to tackle topics that others may avoid, such as social security, which has been called the "third rail of American politics" (15m32s).
• As the co-executive producer and managing editor of The Daily Show, Stewart oversees a team of correspondents, producers, and writers, and he has a unique approach to gathering news, often relying on CNN and other news sources for inspiration (16m9s).
• Stewart's team does not fact-check in the classical sense, instead relying on their own instincts and biases to shape their coverage, and they have no credibility issue because they have absolutely no credibility (16m54s).
• The show's coverage of the Clinton pardon investigation is an example of their unconventional approach, using electronic imposition to create a fake backdrop and presenting the story in a humorous and satirical way (17m2s).
• The Daily Show's popularity soared during the 2000 political conventions, moving from a cult pleasure to a cable hit (17m32s).
• A comedian attended a political convention, describing it as a "fake news event" and a "promotional ad for the party," with 15,000 people in attendance, including many from the media (17m36s).
• The comedian encountered Senator Lieberman at the convention, asking him if he had visited Disney World or Universal Studios, and also jokingly asked if he had lied to Congress (18m5s).
• Senator Lieberman discussed the Democrats' plans to improve the public school system in the United States, including providing preschool and after-school programs, as well as computers in schools (18m30s).
• The comedian joked about attending the convention for the food and to wear makeup, and mentioned that William Bennett had asked for his autograph for his kid (19m2s).
• The correspondents on The Daily Show are experienced comedy veterans, including Vance Degeneres, Steven Cole, Mo Rocca, Steven Carell, and Nancy Walls, who have worked on various TV shows and comedy troupes (19m19s).
• The Daily Show's host, Jon Stewart, polishes jokes with his boss, Madeleine Smithberg, and the staff of writers, and is involved in editing rooms, but aims to change the show's approach (19m56s).
• Jon Stewart was born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, 38 years ago, and raised near Trenton, New Jersey, before studying psychology at William and Mary, and later becoming a bartender and comedian (20m50s).
• Stewart initially studied chemistry but switched to psychology, which he found allowed for more creative freedom, and later moved to New York City to pursue a career in comedy (20m57s).
• Stewart discussed his decision not to change his name, saying "Leibowitz" sounded too Hollywood, and also talked about not considering quitting his career in comedy (21m18s).
• A comedian's big break is not necessarily a single event, but rather a decision to pursue their career with dedication and perseverance, as seen in the case of a comedian who decided to focus on their craft and get as good as they could, no matter what obstacles they faced (21m52s).
• The comedian's brand of political satire has made them a household name, especially among Americans under 30 who get most of their news from late-night comedians, a fact that politicians have been quick to recognize (22m7s).
• The comedian has been known to poke fun at politicians, including Senator John McCain, and has even had the opportunity to ride on the Straight Talk Express during the New Hampshire primary (22m25s).
• The comedian has also been critical of pork barrel politics, but acknowledges that the system is flawed and that even those who criticize it can be a part of it (22m44s).
• The comedian has had various journalists and politicians on their program, who often use the platform to acknowledge the flaws in their own world and then return to their usual ways (23m7s).
• The comedian's popularity has made them a sought-after speaker on college campuses, where they have been paid five figures to share their take on various topics, including Jewish culture (23m27s).
• The comedian believes that the news business is becoming more and more a promotional tool for its corporate owners, and has criticized the system for prioritizing entertainment value over informative content (23m49s).
• The comedian has specifically called out ABC's owner Disney for investing in an internet company and then having its news anchor, Diane Sawyer, promote it on Good Morning America (23m57s).
• The comedian believes that the system is flawed because it has become a competitive industry that prioritizes entertainment value over informative content, leading to a farcical presentation of news (24m59s).
• The comedian is not directly employed by CBS, but rather by Comedy Central, which is owned by a joint venture between AOL Time Warner and Viacom, the same company that owns CBS (25m19s).
• The media industry is dominated by a few large corporations, with one joint venture owning CBS, and this consolidation may lead to a situation where everyone is controlled by the same person, resulting in a loss of diversity and autonomy (25m32s).
• The hypothetical ruler of this media conglomerate is jokingly described as a cross between Dolly the sheep and one of Rupert Murdoch's children, symbolizing the unusual and potentially unsettling nature of such a powerful entity (25m39s).
• The concept of synergy is mentioned in the context of major media companies such as AOL, Time, Viacom, and Warner, highlighting the interconnectedness and potential for cooperation among these corporations (25m46s).
• Following the elections and the inauguration of a new president, the next big story is expected to come from New Hampshire, where the 2004 voting trends are already being analyzed and projected (25m54s).
• The next primary election is only three and a half years away, and New Hampshire is likely to play a significant role in it, making it a place to watch for the next major story (26m4s).

Jon Stewart - October 24, 2004 (26m20s)

• John Stewart has become a prominent figure in the presidential campaign, with his Daily Show on Comedy Central being must-see television for news junkies and politicians alike, and he has been going after the shouting matches that pass themselves off as cable news (26m25s).
• Stewart's favorite moment of the campaign so far has been every moment with Dick Cheney, whom he jokingly believes turns into the Hulk when he becomes angry (26m57s).
• Stewart also pokes fun at other politicians, including Carrie, who he thinks can defeat Nixon if he focuses, and Ted Kennedy, who he jokes has a different issue with not wearing pants and running around Palm Beach (27m31s).
• Stewart claims that his show does not consider itself equal opportunity skewer, as it is fake journalism and does not have to follow the same ethics as real journalism (28m6s).
• The Daily Show deconstructs the day's events and the pretenses of television news by repackaging reality as a parade of the absurd (28m28s).
• Stewart and his team of reporters, including Steven, Samantha, Ed Helms, and Rob Cordry, have been covering the Democratic and Republican conventions, using satire to comment on the tactics and postures of television news (29m36s).
• At the Republican convention, one of Stewart's reporters interviewed a delegate from Montana, who admitted to never having had his picture taken with a black person before, and was willing to try it (29m56s).
• The Daily Show also covered Lynn Cheney's introduction of her husband, Vice President Dick Cheney, at Madison Square Garden (30m22s).
• Dick did not participate in popular activities such as driving back and forth between A&W root beer stands, doing the twist, or going to Vietnam, unlike many others in Casper, Wyoming (30m34s).
• After John Kerry's primary victory in Arizona, his wife Teresa seemed uncharacteristically demonstrative, and The Daily Show used this footage to boost their ratings, which were up 22% over the previous year (30m57s).
• Senator John Edwards chose The Daily Show to announce his candidacy for president, which was seen as a major journalistic coup, but ultimately did not work in his favor (31m28s).
• The Daily Show has a difficult time maintaining respectability, and access to significant political figures can be challenging, with the notable exception of President Bush, who is unlikely to appear on the show (32m31s).
• Almost everything is fair game for comedy sketches on The Daily Show, but there are some constraints, and the show's staff has moved into creating fake history segments in addition to fake news (33m29s).
• The show's host, Stuart, has limitations when it comes to crafting comedy sketches, including not being able to sing or do impressions well, and avoiding unfunny material (34m0s).
• The Daily Show has become a platform for significant political figures to reach a young audience, with almost every notable figure appearing on the show, except for President Bush (32m42s).
• Stuart has written a book called "America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction," a twisted take on a high school Civics book with lessons on interesting moments in Senate history and exercises like dressing the Supreme Court, which got banned from Walmart (34m29s).
• Stuart is a delegator and did not write the book by himself, but rather worked with others who were paid in a barter system with beads that can be turned in for drinks (34m46s).
• The book is currently number one on the New York Times bestseller list, and Stuart has also won two Emmy Awards this year (35m23s).
• Stuart's show has been rising in popularity, and he has become a much bigger deal, with the television critics Association giving him its Award for best news and information program this year (35m43s).
• Stuart has been critical of 60 Minutes and other news programs, saying that they are taking themselves too seriously and that he is trying to "take them down" (35m50s).
• Stuart has also been involved in a scandal surrounding a report on President Bush's National Guard service, in which CBS admitted that it could not authenticate the documents used in the report (36m2s).
• Stuart believes that the media is too focused on conflict and extremity of viewpoint, and that this is what gets rewarded in political discourse (37m17s).
• Stuart appeared on CNN's Crossfire and expressed his opinions on the state of the media, saying that he has a responsibility to the public discourse and that he will not be a "monkey" for the show (37m36s).
• Stuart has been critical of both Fox and CNN, saying that they are not fair and balanced, and that he does not trust them (38m11s).
• A viewer watches a particular show frequently and finds the slogan misleading, comparing it to another show's slogan (38m28s).
• The viewer claims the show does not have a slogan, but is corrected that it actually does (38m34s).
• The slogan is revealed to be "May cause" (38m38s).

Trevor Noah - June 19, 2022 (38m47s)

• Trevor Noah is a biracial comedian from South Africa who hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show, bringing an international dimension to the program, and has a global following at the age of 38 (38m58s).
• Noah grew up under apartheid in South Africa, where his mother, a black woman, and his father, a white man, were not allowed to mix due to the law, which he wrote about in his memoir "Born a Crime" (39m21s).
• He has always felt like an outsider, but making people laugh has been his ticket to belonging, and he loves owning the stage in front of large crowds, typically 15,000 people in giant arenas (40m3s).
• Noah had a shaky start when he took over The Daily Show six years ago from John Stewart, with many people initially disliking him, but his ratings improved once he found his foil in Donald Trump (40m24s).
• He connects American politics to his background in South Africa, where he grew up in Johannesburg and its black township of Soweto during the strict racial separation regime of apartheid (41m12s).
• Noah's grandfather, who was black, would refer to him as "master" due to the color of his skin, and his parents and grandmother were always afraid of the police finding him due to the law against mixed-race relationships (41m45s).
• If the police had found him, he would have been taken away to an orphanage, and his grandmother would often hide him to protect him (42m7s).
• Noah's family was poor, and he would eat worms and play with bricks as toys, but he notes that being poor in a community that is also poor is not as bad as being poor when you know what you're missing out on (42m20s).
• Noah became a voracious reader during his time spent indoors, which helped him develop his sense of humor and eventually led to his career as a comedian (43m0s).
• Trevor Noah wrote about his mother, Patricia Noah, in his memoir "Born a Crime", describing how she raised him with no limitations on what he could achieve, despite being a single parent in a challenging environment (43m5s).
• Noah's mother later married a man named Abel, who beat her and shot her in the head, but miraculously, the bullet only cut off a piece of her nostril and did not cause any fatal damage (43m21s).
• Noah grew up in a country where belonging was defined by the shade of one's skin color, but he found his greatest joy in sharing interests, speaking, and laughing with people, regardless of their skin color (44m15s).
• Noah developed his sense of humor as a tool to belong and became a professional comedian by accident at the age of 22, when he took the stage at a comedy club on a dare from his cousin (44m47s).
• He became one of the highest-paid comedians, according to Forbes, and started touring the United States in 2011, eventually catching the attention of John Stewart's producer at The Daily Show (45m15s).
• Noah was offered the host chair at The Daily Show, but initially declined due to the pay cut and the need to give up his life on the road, until John Stewart convinced him that it would be a "home" for him (45m41s).
• Noah took over as host of The Daily Show and used his platform to weigh in on serious topics, including a monologue on race and George Floyd that was watched by nearly 11 million people (46m13s).
• Noah has shown a different dimension of himself to the public, discussing serious topics and sharing his own experiences with depression, which is a common struggle among many comedians (46m41s).
• Trevor Noah has come to learn that his depression is created by a severe level of ADHD, which can manifest differently in different people, and for him, it means being overwhelmed if he's not careful with his sleep, eating habits, and routine (46m50s).
• Trevor Noah experienced hate after moving to the United States, which he believes is due to a lot of anger in America, and he's trying to figure out how to speak to people who hate him (47m26s).
• Trevor Noah's friend, David Meyer, would often drive him to comedy shows, and they wouldn't get pulled over by the police, but when Trevor drove, they would get pulled over frequently (47m42s).
• Trevor Noah believes that America is clearly divided, with half of society supporting Dave Chappelle's Netflix special and the other half criticizing it, making it difficult to define a clear line on what is acceptable (48m54s).
• Trevor Noah thinks that everyone defines the line for themselves, and society's definition of the line can vary depending on which side you're looking at (48m48s).
• Trevor Noah is still learning new things, including about his new home in New York City, which he has lived in since 2015 (49m25s).
• Trevor Noah is unsure if he wants to have children, as he goes back and forth on the idea, sometimes feeling inspired by kids and other times feeling hesitant (49m38s).
• Trevor Noah prefers not to talk about his girlfriends and keeps his personal relationships private (50m7s).
• Trevor Noah has friends from South Africa, including comedy producer Ryan Hard and comedian David Kibuuka, who is now a supervising producer on The Daily Show (50m19s).
• Trevor Noah is described as a great boyfriend, with the qualities of being a great partner not fully explored due to a lack of discussion on the topic (50m34s).
• Trevor Noah values his relationships and maintains a strong connection with his friends and family, including his mother, whom he talks to every day (51m10s).
• Trevor Noah is not considered a perfectionist, but he is described as a workaholic, as evidenced by his refusal to give up his comedy shows despite his busy schedule hosting The Daily Show and the Grammy Awards (51m21s).
• Trevor Noah genuinely loves making people laugh and believes that laughter brings out people's authentic selves, describing it as a feeling of pure joy that is unfiltered and unaffected by what others think (51m40s).

Conan O'Brien - May 2, 2010 (52m11s)

• NBC's decision to push The Tonight Show into a later time slot and give its traditional time slot back to Jay Leno led to Conan O'Brien quitting as the host of The Tonight Show, resulting in a $32 million settlement and a new cable show for O'Brien, as well as a non-disparagement agreement that prohibited him from saying anything false or disparaging about NBC (52m25s).
• After leaving The Tonight Show, O'Brien stopped shaving as a small act of defiance and later decided to go on a nationwide comedy tour as a form of therapy (53m12s).
• The comedy tour, which was one of the few things O'Brien was allowed to do contractually, helped him feel better and provided an outlet for him to explore his anger, disappointment, and anxiety through self-deprecating humor (54m40s).
• The tour, dubbed the "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour," has boosted O'Brien's confidence, kept him relevant, and will conclude next month at Radio City Music Hall in New York, near NBC's corporate headquarters (55m29s).
• O'Brien has expressed his gratitude towards Jay Leno, who had publicly praised him, and has stated that he is happy to be moving forward with his career (56m7s).
• Conan O'Brien took over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno, but NBC decided to cancel Leno's Prime Time show and move him back to his old time period, bumping Conan's Tonight Show to 12:05, which was losing badly in the ratings to David Letterman (56m20s).
• Conan thought that if he didn't do well, NBC could just put Leno back in, and he remembered thinking that seemed like a stretch, but it turned out to be a possibility (56m43s).
• Conan had unpleasant discussions with NBC's West Coast brass, and the tone quickly changed from taking his time to being told to leave, which made him feel like the environment wasn't right (57m2s).
• Conan's wife, Liza O'Brien, was one of his main confidants and closest advisers during the debacle, and she approved of everything he did, thinking he should have left absolutely (58m9s).
• Liza felt that NBC never really gave Conan the job they said they would, and they lost their nerve to make a change, which was a shame (58m26s).
• Conan has a non-disparagement agreement, which he keeps a copy of in his wallet, and he thinks that if this agreement didn't exist, the interview would take a different tone (58m53s).
• Many people come up to Conan and say he got screwed, but he tells them he's fine and it just didn't work out (59m23s).
• Conan thinks that Jay Leno thinks he got screwed, but Conan believes that he's fine, and he's touring city to city, while Jay has The Tonight Show (59m39s).
• Jay Leno has not reached out to Conan, and Conan doesn't think he'll be hearing from him (1h0m11s).
• Jay Leno was number one when he left The Tonight Show, but NBC told him they would take him off the air in 5 years regardless of his ratings, which made him feel forced out (1h0m48s).
• Conan O'Brien is happy with his decision and sleeps well at night, but hopes Jay Leno is also happy with his decision (1h1m18s).
• It is unclear whether Jay Leno lobbied for his return to The Tonight Show, but Conan O'Brien does not think Leno acted honorably during the situation (1h1m41s).
• Conan O'Brien would have handled the situation differently, by not coming back to The Tonight Show six months after surrendering it to someone else and wishing them well (1h2m8s).
• Conan O'Brien is equally disappointed with NBC and NBC Universal Chief Jeff Zucker, whom he has known since they were classmates at Harvard (1h2m30s).
• Jeff Zucker has not called Conan O'Brien since the offer was made to him, and Conan O'Brien is unsure if they will be friendly in the future (1h2m41s).
• Conan O'Brien wishes Jeff Zucker and NBC well, despite their differences (1h3m7s).
• Conan O'Brien disagrees with Jeff Zucker's statement that viewers did not like him as the host of The Tonight Show, and thinks it is unfair and inaccurate (1h3m27s).
• Conan O'Brien does not think it is possible for The Tonight Show to have been losing money during his time as host (1h3m48s).
• Conan O'Brien expected NBC to give him more of a chance and does not feel like his time on The Tonight Show was a failure (1h4m8s).
• Conan O'Brien agrees that NBC's decision was a business decision motivated by money, and acknowledges that Jay Leno had a more expensive contract (1h4m20s).
• Conan signed on to do an 11:00 show for the cable channel TBS, a move that raised some eyebrows as he chose cable over a broadcast network (1h5m24s).
• The decision to join TBS was likely influenced by the channel's young audience, which is a good fit for Conan's style of comedy (1h5m48s).
• Conan does not regret his decision and believes that things happen for a reason, a perspective that may be influenced by his Catholic upbringing or Irish heritage (1h6m26s).
• Despite being let go from his previous job, Conan is doing well and has a lucrative new gig on TBS, which includes a $30 million deal (1h5m42s).
• Conan spent time at home after being let go, where he developed a habit of eating frosting from a jar, watched Gossip Girl, and even slept in his car (1h7m3s).
• Conan is confident that he will survive and continue to thrive in his career, referencing the song "I Will Survive" to emphasize his point (1h7m24s).

Lorne Michaels and Saturday Night Live - October 31, 2004 (1h7m56s)

• In 1975, a young producer named Lorne Michaels created a bold new comedy show called Saturday Night Live, which began each week with the words "Live from New York" and has since become a breeding ground for generations of comedians (1h7m57s).
• The show is a live entertainment program that is 90 minutes long and features a cast of a dozen or so comedians who spoof what's in the news, lampoon who's powerful, and act silly (1h8m52s).
• The show is put together in just six days, starting with a meeting between the writers, performers, and guest host on Monday afternoon, where they toss out ideas for sketches and see what the host likes (1h10m36s).
• The writers and cast members work tirelessly throughout the week, often with no sleep, to come up with something for the show, while Michaels pulls his own all-nighter, meeting with whoever needs his help (1h11m28s).
• Michaels has a rule that everything is written down on Q cards and rehearsed, with no ad-libs allowed, which helps to minimize mistakes, but the show still has a feel of ad-libbing due to its quick production (1h10m5s).
• The show has been the launchpad for many famous comedians, including Jean Balushi and Dan Aykroyd, who became the voice of their generation with their rebellious and questioning attitude towards authority (1h11m41s).
• Michaels believes that the show was an expression of the times, reflecting the rebellious and questioning attitude of the 1970s, and that the comedians were not trying to be brave, but rather were a product of their time (1h12m8s).
• The show has had its share of mistakes, including a recent incident where the musical guest, Ashley Simpson, walked off the set during her live performance due to a lip-syncing miscue (1h9m40s).
• Comedians have changed their approach to humor over time, with what was considered funny in the 1970s now being seen as mean-spirited or insensitive, particularly when it comes to disabilities (1h12m49s).
• Finesse Mitchell comments on the challenges of naming babies, specifically for young black women, using humorous examples like Laquay and Calamari (1h13m8s).
• Lauren Michaels notes that the secret to the show's success is its ability to change with the times, both in terms of humor and cast members (1h13m19s).
• The current cast acknowledges the pressure of living up to the show's history and legacy, with the writers' room being a high-stakes environment where sketches are pitched and selected (1h13m51s).
• The writers and cast come up with 47 sketches, but only 11 are selected for the show, with Lauren Michaels and Jude making the final decisions (1h14m42s).
• The show has a long history of tackling politics, with every president since Nixon being the subject of jokes and satire (1h14m55s).
• Lauren Michaels denies ever being pressured by an administration to back off from a particular topic or joke, and emphasizes the importance of the show remaining non-partisan (1h15m10s).
• Michaels is a powerful and influential figure in the entertainment industry, but has also been criticized by some former cast members for creating a cutthroat atmosphere and being distant and aloof (1h15m38s).
• Michaels has been accused of inspiring the character of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies, but denies any direct connection (1h15m51s).
• The issue of drug use is a sensitive topic for Michaels, particularly given the overdose death of John Belushi, but he denies accusations that he fueled Belushi's cocaine habit or turned a blind eye to drug use on the show (1h16m21s).
• Chris Farley was sent to rehab by Lorne Michaels in the early 90s, but he died of an overdose at 33 two years after leaving the show (1h16m47s).
• Lorne Michaels is now concerned with projecting a cleaner image, as he is the father of three young children (1h16m58s).
• Preparing for the show, Michaels oversees the making of costumes, building of sets, and fine-tuning of sketches on Thursday and Friday (1h17m14s).
• On Friday night, Michaels is calm and fine-tuning the show, including making changes based on audience reactions during the dress rehearsal (1h17m34s).
• During the dress rehearsal, Carrie tries to win over Cuban voters in Florida by shooting Fidel, and the cast is going smoothly until Ashley Simpson rehearses and rushes out in tears, upset about her voice (1h17m55s).
• Simpson is worried about losing her voice, and the team is unsure whether she should sing at dress rehearsal or save it for the air show (1h18m24s).
• With just over an hour to air, the show is still too long, and Michaels and Jude meet to make cuts, with writers and performers reading the board to see if their sketches are in or out (1h18m41s).
• During the live show, Ashley Simpson starts her second song, but her voice is hoarse, and she decides to lip sync a tape recording of her song, but the wrong song comes up, causing her to do an awkward dance and walk off the set (1h19m18s).
• Michaels did not know Simpson was planning to lip sync, and he stated that performers are not allowed to lip sync on Saturday Night Live, except during dance breaks (1h19m49s).
• Michaels acknowledged that the show took some hits that week, but he emphasized that the great part about Saturday Night Live is that there's always next week (1h20m14s).
• Michaels believes that comedy is powerful and a force for good, and that it comes from openness and freedom, allowing people to make fun of the president and get paid for it (1h20m44s).

Ray Romano - May 8, 2005 (1h21m19s)

• Nine years ago, CBS was in third place in the Nielsen ratings and needed a hit show to turn around its prime time schedule, which ultimately came in the form of "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1h21m19s).
• The show, starring Ray Romano, blossomed into a huge hit and is now going out as the number one comedy on television, with Romano as the highest-paid actor in television history (1h21m57s).
• The cast and crew were still writing and filming the final episodes when they were visited at the Burbank Studios, but the actors were already picking out their favorite items to take as mementos (1h22m7s).
• When the show debuted in 1996, it was taped before a live audience recruited mostly from nursing homes and rehab clinics, and was based on the comedy of Ray Romano, which was in turn based on his life and persona (1h22m40s).
• The show's success can be attributed to its talented writers and skilled producers, who translated Romano's jokes into classic television, as well as its accomplished ensemble cast, including Peter Boyle, Doris Roberts, Patricia Heaton, Monica Horan, and Brad Garrett (1h23m31s).
• The cast believes that the show's success is due to its relatability, with people seeing themselves in the characters and laughing or crying at the show's portrayal of suburban dysfunction (1h23m50s).
• The cast members come from different backgrounds in the industry, including standup, theater, and movies, but have developed a chemistry over the years (1h25m0s).
• None of the cast members expected the show to be as successful as it was when they signed on, with some thinking it would only last a few years (1h25m14s).
• The cast members have fond memories of their time on the show, including the audition process and the early days of filming (1h25m23s).
• Ray Romano is described as incredibly shy, slightly awkward, and reluctant to make eye contact, but despite these traits, he has become a successful comedian and actor (1h25m48s).
• Romano's character in Everybody Loves Raymond is a dumbed-down version of himself, with similarities in their relationships with their wives and families (1h26m2s).
• The character of Raymond Barone is a gifted straight man, surrounded by more eccentric and emotional characters, and is often the voice of reason in the show (1h26m34s).
• Phil Rosenthal, the show's creator, says that Ray's character is central to everything that goes on in the show, and that he is a family man just trying to get through the day (1h27m6s).
• Romano was born into a middle-class Italian family in Queens, and his family bears a resemblance to the one on the show (1h27m30s).
• Romano was a late bloomer, dropping out of college after 7 years with only 20 credits, and later tried his luck in New York comedy clubs (1h27m47s).
• He was bad at comedy at first, but eventually got better and started getting paid gigs, earning $75 on a weekend (1h27m57s).
• Romano lived with his parents until he was 29, when he got married and moved out (1h28m17s).
• He met his wife, Anna Scarpulla, while they were both working as bank tellers, and they have four children together (1h28m40s).
• Romano was not a good bank teller, being accurate but very slow, and his wife did not think about going out with him before he asked her out (1h28m47s).
• Romano's expectations for his marriage were low, but everything changed in 1995 when he made his debut on The Late Show with David Letterman (1h29m25s).
• Letterman was impressed with Romano's performance and offered him a production deal that led to Everybody Loves Raymond, making him the highest-paid television actor ever (1h29m43s).
• The comedian's wife allows him to throw his clothes on the floor at home, suggesting he must be making a good income, although he jokes that he's a better foul shooter than Shaquille O'Neal, with a 61% success rate in 100 free throws, compared to Shaquille's 50% (1h30m4s).
• The comedian owns a large house in the San Fernando Valley, designed by his wife, featuring a 9,000 sq ft house, a gift shop, a turtle pond, a private putting green, and a pool, which he describes as "over the top" (1h30m47s).
• He credits his wife with handling the household and financial decisions, saying that if she were to be taken away, he wouldn't know how to pay for things, and jokes that he'd be working as an accountant if his father had been more demonstrative (1h31m5s).
• The comedian spends his time going to lunch and coffee, and is looking for a new film project, having enjoyed working on his previous three films, although he notes that one was not well-received and the other two have not been released yet (1h31m55s).
• He has a standup act to fall back on, which he has been updating, and recently performed at the Mirage in Las Vegas with Brad Garrett (1h32m41s).
• The comedian jokes about his sex life, saying that he pays his estimated taxes the day after having sex, and that he's looking to set a new land speed record (1h33m5s).
• He reflects on his career, saying that his current show has been the longest-running project he's worked on, longer than his first marriage, and that the final episode was an emotional experience for the cast and crew (1h33m40s).
• The comedian jokes that he got emotional during the final curtain call, but attributes it to an "underwear problem" (1h34m8s).
• A person broke down, and their father was present at the time, leading him to believe the person is gay (1h34m21s).

Jerry Seinfeld - September 14, 1997 (1h34m39s)

• Jerry Seinfeld was a moderately successful standup comic when NBC first approached him about creating an offbeat television series, but 8 years and 150 episodes later, the show has become a huge success, changing the television landscape and earning Seinfeld a significant amount of money (1h34m49s).
• Seinfeld's show is the top-rated comedy on television, and every 30-second commercial earns more than half a million dollars, with Seinfeld earning a fraction of that amount from the series for the rest of his life (1h35m20s).
• Seinfeld is heavily involved in the show, with his name on the sound stage and slate, and he is the most relaxed man on the set in the history of television, with only a handful of people being as involved in a show or earning as much from it as he has (1h35m35s).
• Seinfeld earns checks as a writer, actor, creator, and executive producer, and he also earns money every time an episode is shown anywhere in the world (1h36m8s).
• In the show, Seinfeld plays a self-effacing straight man surrounded by hopeless neurotics, but in real life, he is a non-actor surrounded by a talented cast, including Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards (1h36m22s).
• The cast members are good enough to have their own series, and thanks to Seinfeld, they are about to be paid like they do, with them stating that Seinfeld's character is the least interesting on the show (1h36m37s).
• The focus of the show is really on the three main characters, and they believe they are better than Seinfeld, with Jason Alexander stating that they are just much better than he is (1h36m55s).
• There is a difference between Jerry Seinfeld the character and Jerry Seinfeld in real life, with the real Seinfeld having much more money and being more compulsive, wanting to know where everything is (1h37m1s).
• The real Jerry Seinfeld is very much like the television character, at least before he got the sitcom, and even his mother calls him Mr. Perfection (1h37m26s).
• Seinfeld grew up in Massapequa, Long Island, and his father ran a sign company, with Seinfeld taking the subway to his first standup gig on the day he graduated from Queen's College (1h37m33s).
• Standup comedy is still Seinfeld's first love, although he performs now only on rare occasions, with him stating that one of the things a comedian must master is waiting comfortably (1h38m11s).
• Jerry Seinfeld's career as a comedian took 20 years to take off, and he initially had to wait tables and sell cheap jewelry to make ends meet (1h38m24s).
• Seinfeld's only job has been making observations about life's little mysteries, and he has been doing this for 20 years, despite initially thinking he wouldn't make it big (1h39m16s).
• At 42, Seinfeld is at the top of his career, but he never thought he'd see this level of success, having only 45 minutes of material about planes and cough syrup (1h39m42s).
• NBC initially signed Seinfeld because they were afraid another network would hire him as a late-night competitor, and they let him try a sitcom just to keep him busy (1h40m31s).
• Preview audiences hated Seinfeld's pilot, with research reports showing that no segment of the audience was eager to watch the show again (1h40m49s).
• Despite this, NBC ordered four episodes, which is the smallest number of episodes ever ordered by a network, and Seinfeld considers this a vote of confidence (1h41m13s).
• Seinfeld lives in Los Angeles out of necessity, not choice, and considers his two-bedroom home a "giant hotel room" that he doesn't really consider home (1h41m27s).
• Seinfeld's home is decorated by a decorator and looks more antiseptic than homely, with the couches looking like they've never been dented (1h41m48s).
• Seinfeld spends half his day cleaning his home and the other half working on his show, and he seems most at home in his Backlot office working with his writers (1h42m8s).
• Comedians often work in high-pressure environments, such as Saturday Night Live, where they feel the need to produce quality content, and many writers from these shows go on to develop or run their own shows. (1h42m24s)
• Seinfeld's writers have created a tone that focuses on bad things happening to selfish people, with characters that are shallow, self-indulgent, greedy, mean, and treacherous, yet still manage to be funny. (1h42m49s)
• The show's co-creator, Larry David, believes that the audience loves these unprincipled characters because of the great acting, and that the material would be a disaster in the hands of other actors. (1h43m51s)
• Seinfeld has tackled unspeakable subjects, such as masturbation and oral sex, by disguising them as family entertainment through clever use of language. (1h44m27s)
• The show's writers enjoy the challenge of handling sensitive material in a delicate way, comparing it to driving a nitro truck down a dirt road. (1h44m50s)
• An episode on homosexuality was created after a reporter assumed that Jerry and George were more than just good friends, and the show used this as an opportunity to address political correctness. (1h45m5s)
• Seinfeld breaks the rule that the star gets all the good lines, with the cast, including Michael Richards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Jason Alexander, benefiting from Jerry Seinfeld's generosity. (1h45m48s)
• Jerry Seinfeld is praised for not making the show a vehicle for himself, instead sharing the spotlight with his castmates, and is described as a smart and private person. (1h46m1s)
• Jerry Seinfeld is considered a stable person, and it's unlikely that the public will see the private part of him, with his private life being very public, especially his longtime relationship with Shoshanna Lonstein, a UCLA student half his age (1h46m29s).
• Seinfeld describes his relationship with Lonstein as nice and that they have a good time, attributing it to his immaturity and her maturity, which allows them to meet in the middle (1h46m42s).
• When asked about his immaturity, Seinfeld jokingly mentions being sexually immature, but refuses to discuss it further on the show (1h47m5s).
• Seinfeld acknowledges that not being married at 42 is not mature and something he's not proud of, but hopes to get married to Lonstein in the future (1h47m32s).
• Despite not having proposed to Lonstein yet, Seinfeld plans to get married when the time is right, comparing it to when John F. Kennedy Jr. got married (1h47m48s).
• Seinfeld claims to enjoy the attention from tabloids, saying that people who read them deserve to be lied to, and that he and Lonstein have gotten used to the constant media attention (1h48m28s).
• Seinfeld states that he's currently the happiest he's ever been, proud of believing in himself and achieving success with his show (1h48m52s).
• The cast of Seinfeld, including Jerry, will return for a ninth season after NBC offered them record contracts, with each co-star reportedly earning $13 million, but Seinfeld and Lonstein have ended their relationship (1h49m29s).

Jerry Seinfeld - October 4, 2020 (1h49m58s)

• Jerry Seinfeld, a 66-year-old comedian, has halted his sold-out standup tour and put his show "Comedians and Cars Getting Coffee" on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he continues to find humor in life's absurdities (1h50m3s).
• Seinfeld is known for his observational comedy style, which allows him to see the world differently and spin everyday situations into comedic gold (1h50m40s).
• Despite the pandemic, Seinfeld remains optimistic and has been writing new material, including jokes about the challenges of not touching one's face during the pandemic (1h51m15s).
• Seinfeld spent a day in Queens, visiting the site of the 1964 World's Fair, which he attended as a boy and remembers as a symbol of optimism and a vision for a perfect world (1h51m41s).
• The comedian is upbeat and enthusiastic about being out of the house and in front of a camera for the first time since the pandemic began (1h52m10s).
• Seinfeld has been in the comedy business for five decades, starting out in Manhattan's comedy club circuit and eventually creating his wildly successful sitcom "Seinfeld" (1h52m34s).
• He first honed his craft on stage in Manhattan's comedy clubs, which he describes as a thrilling and intimidating experience, like entering the "Emerald City" in "The Wizard of Oz" (1h53m1s).
• Seinfeld is deeply in love with New York City and credits it with teaching him how to be a comedian, embracing the city's culture of being cranky, loud, funny, and complaining (1h53m32s).
• He visited the Queens Museum to see a miniature replica of New York City that he remembered from his childhood, which is still on permanent exhibit (1h54m1s).
• Jerry Seinfeld has civic pride in New York City, which led him to write a rebuttal to a local comedy club owner's essay claiming the city would never bounce back from COVID-19, with Seinfeld comparing the situation to kicking over an anthill and the need for New Yorkers to get back to work (1h54m14s).
• Seinfeld defended his turf, not wanting the old New York spirit to die and be replaced by something else, emphasizing the importance of being a little "badass" and not caring that things are tough (1h55m15s).
• Seinfeld grew up in a middle-class Jewish household where his father was particularly funny, and his parents' parenting style was one of complete neglect, which he believes worked for him and made him independent (1h56m5s).
• Both of Seinfeld's parents were orphans, which had a significant impact on his family, teaching them complete self-reliance and the expectation of raising themselves in many ways (1h56m39s).
• Despite not knowing how to hold a fork or make a sandwich at 18, Seinfeld has done well for himself, with his series making more money in syndication than any other comedy (1h57m3s).
• In 2017, Seinfeld signed a $100 million deal with Netflix for two comedy specials and a series, and his show "Comedians and Cars Getting Coffee" works because comedians prefer to have in-depth conversations rather than just chitchat (1h57m20s).
• Seinfeld's latest project is a book titled "Is This Anything?", which is a primer on joke writing and explores the crafting technique and approach to doing comedy, allowing readers to learn how bits are built and why certain words are objectively funny (1h57m55s).
• Jerry Seinfeld breaks down the word "LinkedIn" into its components, explaining that it's a combination of the Yiddish word "shle" and the English word "link," and notes that the Yiddish language is a great source of comedic material (1h58m33s).
• Seinfeld has managed to maintain a clean act throughout his career, unlike many other comedians who have had to apologize for causing offense, and believes it's part of his job to accommodate changing standards (1h59m7s).
• He acknowledges that it's difficult to navigate the changing landscape of what's considered acceptable in comedy, but notes that every generation of comedians has had to deal with its own set of challenges (1h59m28s).
• Seinfeld has spent the last two decades growing into his role as a family man, and he and his wife Jessica have three teenage children (2h0m10s).
• Jessica is complimentary of Seinfeld's co-parenting skills, although she notes that it was a slow build and he didn't initially know what to do when their children were young (2h0m32s).
• Seinfeld's wife Jessica runs a foundation called Good+ that helps low-income families, with a focus on engaging dads, and has grown to help 50,000 families (2h1m22s).
• Seinfeld has considered buying the New York Mets, but says he doesn't have the money, and even if he did, he wouldn't want to deal with the stress and criticism that comes with owning a sports team (2h2m4s).
• Seinfeld is looking forward to performing in person again once the pandemic is over, and notes that the ultimate experience of a baseball game is a seat, a hot dog, and a beer (2h2m24s).
• Comedians will determine what can and cannot be said when they return to performing in front of audiences, but it is uncertain how this will work for a while (2h2m42s).
• There is a preference for authentic and uncompromised versions of things, rather than watered-down alternatives (2h2m52s).
• The desire is for the "real thing," which is compared to wanting the authentic experience of New York Pizza (2h2m59s).