Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac - a daily briefing on comedians, and the comedy industry

Johnny Mac recaps Daily Comedy News, including Jimmy Fallon’s jokes about President Trump headlining an America’s 250th rally after musical acts dropped out, tied to a 16-day Great American State Fair on the National Mall. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, on her podcast, warns of disputed facts, propaganda, and an “attack” on trust that makes comedy and artists essential and potentially endangered, while Mac argues figures like Stephen Colbert aren’t being censored. Mac then highlights Larry David discussing collaborating with former President Obama on HBO’s sketch series Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness and criticizing airlines, plus a Rob Schneider anecdote about David flying private. Tim Dillon critiques Pride Month corporate branding on Joe Rogan. TMZ reports Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino promoted Bad Game Show with 40 underwear-clad runners. Des Bishop discusses finding his American comedic voice and his special Bridge and Tunnel. Fiona O’Brien promotes her album Fiona 51.
 
00:14 Fallon Takes on Trump
01:17 Julia Warns on Comedy
02:47 Larry David Meets Obama
04:01 Tim Dillon on Pride
04:47 Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee Bad Game Show Stunt
05:29 Des Bishop Finds Voice
07:25 Fiona OBrien Spotlight
08:25 Wrap Up and Schedule

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac is a daily podcast covering comedians, stand-up comedy, late night television, and the comedy industry. New episodes every morning. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com 

For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening.  $4.99/month 

John's Substack about media is free.

This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.

Johnny Mac reports that the John F. Kennedy Center will present the 27th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to Bill Maher at a gala featuring comedians including Louis C.K., Whitney Cummings, and Jay Leno, plus John Mellencamp and Stephen A. Smith, with the program later airing on Netflix. He reads the official praise of Maher’s political-comedy influence and Mediaite’s ranking, then reviews past Mark Twain Prize recipients from Richard Pryor through Conan O’Brien, noting Bill Cosby’s 2018 rescission and other observations about the list. He riffs on bios for Louis C.K. and Jay Leno, including checking Leno’s voice-acting credits. He also covers Jo Koy hosting the filmed showcase series “Martin Lawrence Presents: Pass the Mic” in Albuquerque, and summarizes an LA Times piece on Patton Oswalt’s ideal Sunday routine.

00:00 Bill Maher Wins Twain
01:28 Past Winners Rundown
02:16 Cosby Rescinded Context
02:57 Modern Era Winners
04:23 Louis CK and Leno Bios
05:57 Jay Leno Voiceover Deep Dive
07:42 Jo Koy Hosts Pass the Mic
08:46 Patton Oswalt Perfect Sunday
12:45 Star Trek Rant and Wrap

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac is a daily podcast covering comedians, stand-up comedy, late night television, and the comedy industry. New episodes every morning. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com 

For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening.  $4.99/month 

John's Substack about media is free.

This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.

Nine years after a New York Times report and his own direct admission ended his career almost overnight, Louis C.K. is back on Netflix on June 30 with a new special called Ridiculous. Johnny Mac lays out the full, sourced timeline — the allegations, the statement, the uncomfortable Comedy Cellar return — but also the parts of the story that get skipped: the 2011 five-dollar Beacon Theater experiment that invented his independent model years before he needed it, his own on-camera tribute crediting George Carlin with rebuilding his entire approach to writing, and an honest reckoning with why, like it or not, you can't tell the real story of 21st century stand-up without him in it.

What happened with Louis CK in 2017?" – "Why is Louis CK compared to George Carlin?" – "How did Louis CK sell his own comedy specials?" – "What did Louis CK say in his apology statement?" – "How many specials has Louis CK released since 2017?" – "Did Louis CK win a Grammy after the scandal?" – "Is Louis CK one of the best comedians of the 21st century?" – "Why is Netflix working with Louis CK again in 2026?"

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac is a daily podcast covering comedians, stand-up comedy, late night television, and the comedy industry. New episodes every morning. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com 

For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening.  $4.99/month 

John's Substack about media is free.

This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.

Johnny Mac covers Jimmy Fallon posting more political jokes about Trump, suggesting Fallon is taking advantage of Colbert being off the air and Jimmy Kimmel’s summer break (guest hosts start July 6 with Tiffany Haddish). He reacts to Megyn Kelly criticizing Kimmel’s two-month vacation and discusses her reported real estate and private flying. Leslie Jones says she confronted SNL writers about being typecast as angry, loved the show but not the mental toll. Robbie Hoffman recounts storming out of the 2025 Emmys after losing, then returning to present. Rob Schneider is set to headline Freedom Fest’s Punching Up Comedy Festival in Las Vegas (July 8–11). Mac disputes a Pajiba review of Ryan Hamilton’s Netflix special, notes Adam Sandler’s anniversary skywriting, and gives “Comedy Stock Market” picks: buy Fallon, Hamilton, Moshe Kasher; hold Louis C.K.; sell Nate Bargatze, Carlos Mencia, Sebastian Maniscalco. He lists new and upcoming releases and announces a Louis C.K. deep-dive episode.
 
00:13 Fallon Goes Political
03:29 Late Night Summer Shuffle
03:51 Megyn Kelly Vacation Take
04:41 Who Should Guest Host
05:18 Leslie Jones SNL Typecast
06:02 Robbie Hoffman Emmy Exit
06:53 Rob Schneider Freedom Fest
07:55 Ryan Hamilton Review Debate
10:33 Adam Sandler Anniversary Skywrite
11:03 Comedy Stock Market Picks
13:16 New Specials Out Today
14:22 Sally Ann Hall Clip
15:20 More Specials And New Podcast
16:03 Tomorrow Deep Dive on Louis CK

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac is a daily podcast covering comedians, stand-up comedy, late night television, and the comedy industry. New episodes every morning. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com 

For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening.  $4.99/month 

John's Substack about media is free.

This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including W. Kamau Bell’s Substack criticism of Nate Bargatze for being photographed “partying with fascists,” plus Bell’s comments about avoiding places where “fascists coagulate” and his sharing a 2014 photo with Joe Rogan. Rogan recounts telling Donald Trump backstage at a UFC event he hoped they wouldn’t die in a terrorist attack, to which Trump replied, “We gotta go somehow.” Carlos Mencia’s lawyers file an emergency motion seeking release from bail in his felony tax case, arguing prosecutors staged an excessive raid and that jail is causing major financial harm. Roy Wood Jr. discusses Pittsburgh plans and his Daily Show experience; Michael Che teases a new standup special and asks what promo platforms matter now. Johnny Mac critiques Bob Iger’s claim Kimmel’s post–Charlie Kirk joke was removed for “bad taste,” not politics. Worldwide Pants expands Letterman’s 6,000-episode archive distribution, Colbert’s writers make their own Emmy FYC video, Canal+ develops a French SNL special, and Jemaine Clement says more Flight of the Conchords is unlikely though a film idea lingers.
 
00:23 Bargatze UFC Backlash
01:43 Rogan Backstage Story
02:07 Carlos Mencia Bail Fight
03:22 Roy Wood Jr Weekend Plans
03:55 Michael Che Special Tease
04:31 Iger Kimmel Controversy
06:34 Letterman Archive Expansion
07:33 Colbert Writers Emmy Push
08:25 French SNL Attempt
09:54 Conchords Future Update
 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac-a-daily-briefing-on-comedians-and-the-comedy-industry--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac is a daily podcast covering comedians, stand-up comedy, late night television, and the comedy industry. New episodes every morning. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com 

For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening.  $4.99/month 

John's Substack about media is free.

This is the animal sanctuary mentioned in the February 10 episode.