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Ian Goldstein

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  1. vulture lists
    Every Conan Without Borders International Special, RankedConan is often at his best when he leaves the country.
  2. underrated
    The Absurdist Comedy Genius of ‘Achewood’Comedian Jes Tom dives deep into their love for Chris Onstad’s webcomic.
  3. underrated
    In Praise of Four Lions, ‘the Muslim Blazing Saddles’Stand-up Alex Edelman goes deep on his love for the 2010 black comedy.
  4. underrated
    Revisiting Adam Resnick’s Brilliant 2014 Memoir With Tom Scharpling“It’s just the funniest book I’ve ever read.”
  5. underrated
    It’s Never Too Late to Step Inside the Onion’s Sex HouseRevisiting the brilliant 2012 web series with comedy writer Jen Spyra.
  6. chat room
    Simon Rich Is Sure His Ancestors Would Beat Him Up If They Met Him TodayTalking humor writing and American Pickle with the SNL alum.
  7. Celebrating 20 Years of Comedy Duo Tom Scharpling and Jon WursterFor two decades, Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster have proven to be one of the most consistently funny and hardworking teams in comedy. The pair […]
  8. Inside Season 4 of ‘You’re the Worst’ with Chris Geere A common trait shared among successful writers and performers is an awareness that everything they have worked for could be gone in an […]
  9. On the Verge: Maeve HigginsWelcome to our series On the Verge, where our contributors highlight comedians they feel are ready for their next big break. Whether they’re […]
  10. On the Verge: Brett DavisWelcome to our series On the Verge, where our contributors highlight comedians they feel are ready for their next big break. Whether they’re […]
  11. Inside ‘Brigsby Bear’ and ‘Saturday Night Live’ with Kyle MooneySaturday Night Live is one of the best launching pads for any performer looking to “make it.” For many writers and performers who found […]
  12. From Good Neighbor to ‘Brigsby Bear,’ Dave McCary Plays by His Own RulesPermission can often be a barrier for aspiring creators looking to break into an industry. We tend to think approval from an authority or years […]
  13. Questioning the World with Adam ConoverAdam Conover wants to spark your curiosity. And your doubt. As the host of truTV’s Adam Ruins Everything, Conover uses comedy as both a tool […]
  14. Improvising Through Life with Jason MantzoukasBefore Jason Mantzoukas was being asked about the logistics of breaking into the comedy world, he was traveling the real world. Living for […]
  15. Inside ‘Folk Hero & Funny Guy’ with Writer/Director Jeff GraceWith some help from Kickstarter, writer/director Jeff Grace was able to turn his screenplay about a struggling standup comic and his musician […]
  16. Inside James Taylor Johnston’s ‘Stinker Lets Loose!’ with Mike Sacks Author Mike Sacks is reviving a lost genre with his new book Stinker Lets Loose! Sacks, who has penned five popular comedy books, including […]
  17. How Scott Rogowsky Carved Out His Own Corner in Late Night ComedyScott Rogowsky longs for a bygone era of comedy, when scouts for Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show (or Carson himself) would turn up at comedy clubs […]
  18. Aimee Mann’s Best Comedy Crossover Moments Before deciding on a title for her new album, Aimee Mann told a friend that her record was full of her “usual songs about mental illness.” […]
  19. Five of David Letterman’s Best Late Night Donald Trump Takedowns Each time Donald Trump appeared on a late night show during his presidential campaign he often left unscathed. Stephen Colbert made a […]
  20. Identity and Comedy with Anna Suzuki Anna Suzuki is raising awareness about identity one UCB show at a time. The comedian and actress, who also calls herself the “Jap-Jap” (she […]
  21. The Pure Comedic Relaxation of ‘Joe Pera Talks You to Sleep’2016 was a very, very bad year no matter how you slice it. In tough times, comedy is often a form of escape that people turn to when they need […]
  22. Inside ‘Vice Principals’ with Jody Hill After breaking out with the low-budget hit The Foot Fist Way in 2006, Jody Hill has worked on some of the best comedies of the last decade, […]
  23. How Arturo Castro Put Everything He Had Into His Dreams Before landing his breakout role as Jaime on Broad City, Arturo Castro often had to choose between buying a Metrocard or a […]
  24. How Jonathan Ames Approaches Writing for TV Jonathan Ames began his career writing novels and performing in small theaters around New York City before landing a job writing and starring […]
  25. Aya Cash on the New Season of ‘You’re the Worst’ and Twitter’s Ugly Online […] If you’ve been watching You’re The Worst on FXX then you already know how it has distinguished itself by avoiding television’s typical […]
  26. From Letterman to Wilmore: Inside Network and Cable Late Night Shows with […] Lee Ellenberg knew he wanted to write for David Letterman when he was a teenager. After watching Letterman’s Late Night show, Ellenberg […]
  27. Mike Sacks Is Doin’ It “If you don’t know who Mike Sacks is, well, you should.” Receiving praise like this would mean a great deal to any writer, but when the words […]
  28. vulture festival 2016
    Lindelof on Leftovers S3 and Patti’s Future“There is a finality to what you’ve already seen.”
  29. Conan Is at His Best When He’s Traveling the WorldOne of Conan O’Brien’s comedic strengths has always been his ability to self-deprecate. It’s a trait that, in addition to his absurdism, has […]
  30. Using the Anger with Kurt MetzgerIf there’s one thing that drives Kurt Metzger’s comedy, it’s anger. Growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, Metzger was angry that he was forced to […]
  31. Getting Animated with Rob HuebelIt’s not often that an actor gets the opportunity to voice a character created by a five-year-old. Rob Huebel currently plays Grey Diamond, the […]
  32. The Dark Humor of Harry NilssonThe cover of Harry Nilsson’s most critically acclaimed album, 1971’s Nilsson Schmilsson, shows a disheveled Nilsson wearing a robe, one hand in […]
  33. Inside the Job of a Showrunner with ‘The Comedians’ Ben WexlerFor the past decade television audiences have become increasingly aware of the showrunner, the individual responsible for the day-to-day […]
  34. Derrick Beckles and the Art of WeirdnessDerrick Beckles has made his career out of pursuing the subversive and strange. Growing up in Canada, Beckles was inspired by the absurdity of […]
  35. Expose Yourself to the Dark Side of Life with Brett GelmanFrom early in his life Brett Gelman knew he wanted to be a comedian. Heavily influenced by the Marx Brothers and Mel Brooks, Gelman worked his […]
  36. A Wild Year in Late Night2014 saw more changes in the world of late night than any other in recent memory. David Letterman, Craig Ferguson, and Stephen Colbert […]
  37. Inside A Special Thing and ‘Never Not Funny’ with Matt BelknapMatt Belknap has had many aspirations. As a teenager he hoped to make it in Hollywood after reading a Spike Lee book on screenwriting. After […]
  38. Alan Tudyk and the Joy of Playing IdiotsAlan Tudyk is one of the more recognizable faces acting today, even if his name and voice hide behind his characters. Tudyk has been on […]
  39. Burn It Down and Start Again: 4 Comics Who Threw Out Their Material and […]Throwing out material is a frightening prospect for any entertainer. For some performers it can take years to compile a half-hour show. […]
  40. Leno Bashing, Partial Nudity, and an Uncomfortable Host: Howard Stern’s 11 […]For 30 years Howard Stern has been a guest on Letterman’s late night show. Whether it was on Late Night or Late Show, Stern’s common topics […]
  41. Carson, Letterman, and Stewart: Three Early Failures and the Lessons […]In 1995 David Letterman was the king of late night. Johnny Carson had retired three years earlier, and while Jay Leno had higher ratings, […]