Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac

Conan O’Brien discusses with the New Yorker Radio Hour the murders of Rob and Michelle Reiner, reflecting on seeing them at his party the day they were killed, and notes Nick Reiner’s not-guilty plea in LA Superior Court with an April 29 court date; Nick Reiner faces two murder counts with an enhancement that could bring the death penalty or life without parole and is held without bail at Twin Towers.

Conan also comments on Stephen Colbert being angry about the situation around his show, the impact on staff, and broader issues of voices being silenced, while noting he’s enjoyed opportunities after leaving late night.

Colbert is scheduled to be live after tonight’s State of the Union. 

The episode highlights new specials: Taylor Tomlinson’s fourth Netflix hour “Prodigal Daughter,” filmed at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids and covering topics including coming out as bisexual, faith, religious trauma, sexuality, and fear of death; and Pete Holmes’ “Silly, Silly, Fun Boy” premiering on the 800 Pound Gorilla YouTube channel, plus mention of Matt Rife and Paul Elia’s “Low Key” special.

Brian Posehn tells Northern Public Radio he’s always been an alternative comic and comments on today’s comedy climate as a ‘revenge of the jocks.’

Jim Jefferies explains his political positioning between Australia and the U.S., criticizes religion in politics, says most people are moderates, and says he’s glad he isn’t hosting a topical show in 2026, preferring to do a multicam sitcom.

Jenny Zigrino discusses fundraising for her new special “After Birth,” the financial pressures of algorithms and social media, how her 2017 Comedy Central special paid $20,000, how she used GoFundMe for a later special that Comedy Central released in 2023, and how platforms like Facebook can pay comedians but require constant posting; she says Netflix won’t look at you without 500,000+ followers. J

im Breuer criticizes American Airlines, saying he was removed from a paid first-class seat on a Honolulu-to-Phoenix flight to accommodate a commuting pilot, calling it theft; reports say he received a $400 refund and a $500 voucher and his request to speak to someone went unanswered. J

ohnny notes a surprise bonus episode with Mike Chisholm from the Letterman Podcast, updates on the Comedy Survivor Facebook group after a mini controversy and Jim Gaffigan being voted out, lists remaining comedians, reads a listener email comparing his voice to Maynard James Keenan, and shares press comments from Joel McHale and Dennis Leary, including Leary’s interest in doing a musical and McHale’s joke about Netflix airing only ‘Animal Control’ and not Leary’s show.
 
00:26 Conan on Reiner Tragedy
01:25 Late Night Pressure Talk
02:26 Tonight’s Specials Lineup
04:10 Jim Jefferies Politics Split
05:26 Jenny Zigrino Algorithm Grind
06:53 Jim Breuer Airline Caper
09:58 Bonus Episode and Survivor
11:41 Listener Voice Comparison
13:35 Leary and McHale Press Bits
 

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Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.

COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.

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.

Mike Chisholm from The Letterman Podcast pops in.

The guys open by reacting to the Olympic hockey final, with Mike congratulating the U.S. teams and describing how big the game was in Canada, including early-morning watch parties on the West Coast, memories of the 2010 “golden goal,” and the emotional tribute involving Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey and children. They also discuss a Nor’easter impacting the U.S. Northeast, comparing it to past storms and noting school closures and safety restrictions.

The main focus is Mike’s trip to Vancouver for Just For Laughs where he met David Letterman at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage door. Mike describes the advice to meet heroes with zero expectations, Letterman’s quick wisecracks with fans, and how he got a selfie and a signed cue card. He recounts Letterman’s comment when asked to perform a joke (“If I was any good at performing jokes, I’d still have a show”) and notes Letterman and team were late for rehearsal. Mike also unexpectedly met Paul Shaffer, who returned later for selfies and conversation, including a reference to “Mr. Humidity.”

John floats a theory that Letterman is up to something.  Going to Vancouver AND having Shaffer there doesn't make sense.

00:23 Olympic Hockey Reactions
01:02 Nor'easter Explained
03:06 How Big Was the Game
07:21 Hockey Culture and Drama
09:37 Join the USA Pitch

10:30 Meeting Letterman Setup
11:56 Advice on Meeting Heroes
16:08 Fans and Parasocial Media
21:14 Why the Show Wasn't Recorded
25:32 Stage Door Arrival Details
29:19 Selfie and Cue Card Signed
33:31 Surprise Paul Shaffer Encounter
35:40 Mr Humidity Deep Cut
36:49 Why Zach Was Picked
37:14 Curated Show Breakdown
40:43 Dave Opens With Canada
45:46 O Canada With Paul

47:00 Why JFL Vancouver
49:35 Festival Blueprint Theory
52:32 Ed Sullivan Conspiracy
56:26 Which Dave Shows Up
01:04:36 Zach Dead Mom Bit
01:10:41 Paul Closes With Reigning Men
01:12:37 Festival Small Room Magic
01:14:06 Final Thanks And Wrap

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.

COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.

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.

We have our first cobtroversy.  A ruling determines one possible vote was not clear, and that affects the result!  Who went home from Comedy Island this week?

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.

COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.

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 delivers a Daily Comedy News briefing previewing Nate Bargatze’s game show and a new Taylor Tomlinson special, then cites a Naughty but Nice Substack report claiming CBS News leader Barry Weiss is considering booking Joe Rogan on 60 Minutes, though sources say Rogan likely wouldn’t do it and would not be motivated by money.

Jim Jefferies recounts meeting Dave Chappelle backstage shortly before Chappelle’s onstage attack, and Jefferies discusses preferring shows with his own fans, concerns about longevity, identity tied to audience approval, and family time.

The episode shares audio from Mike Chisholm describing David Letterman’s sold-out JFL Vancouver show featuring Trump jokes, Paul Shaffer, a rendition of O Canada, career retrospectives, and an interview segment with Zach Galifianakis that included Andy Kaufman-style moments. Other items include an upcoming SNL-related documentary titled Lorne about Lorne Michaels, 

00:26 Rumor Watch: CBS News Considering Joe Rogan on 60 Minutes
01:19 Jim Jefferies’ Chappelle Backstage Story + Touring Philosophy
02:49 Mike Chisholm Reviews David Letterman Live
06:26 Lorne Michaels Doc + Sarah Sherman’s Slasher Movie
07:33 Rory Scovel on Building a Bigger, More Personal Hour
09:16 Industry Bits: Paisley Fundraiser + Chelsea Handler’s Hulu Series
10:31 Politics Segment Begins
12:09 Washington Post: Ben Palmer’s Fake ICE Tip Line and What It Reveals
14:38 Is Trump Funny? Late-Night Writers Weigh In + Wrap-Up

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.

COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.

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 delivers comedy news focused on the Scrubs revival premiering Wednesday at 8:00 PM on ABC (with Hulu next day).

He shares personal enthusiasm for the original series and summarizes details from interviews with Zach Braff and Donald Faison: the revival mixes a young, diverse writers’ room with original writers, and centers on JD and Turk reconnecting at Sacred Heart as medicine and a new generation of interns have evolved while their friendship endures.

Returning cast includes Zach Braff (JD), Donald Faison (Turk), Sarah Chalke (Elliot), Judy Reyes (Carla), John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox), and the Todd!.

Not all characters will appear in every episode due to scheduling.

Ken Jenkins (Dr. Kelso, 85) and Neil Flynn (the Janitor) are not in season one yet, with Braff saying it may depend on a potential second season.

New cast additions include Vanessa Bayer as a wellness/HR figure with a thick file on the Todd, Joel Kim Booster as attending Dr. Eric Park, and interns named Serena, Asher, Blake, Amara, and Deana; additional intern descriptions include Amara (sheltered, homeschooled), Dashana (confident, written like a young Turk), and Tosh (an Instagram-famous influencer doctor).

The episode notes Sam Lloyd’s death (Ted) and that the show will pay tribute by naming a new hangout ‘Lloyd’s Tavern,’ with plans for a tribute episode possibly in season one or season two. M

ac discusses the controversy around season nine (the ‘Med School’ era) and Braff’s preference to frame the new project as a ‘revival’ rather than a reboot, citing Bill Lawrence’s view that season nine should have had a different title.

Spoilers .....

.....nclude JD returning as a concierge doctor because a patient is admitted to Sacred Heart, Turk as chief of surgery, Elliot as a high-up attending, and Dr. Cox adapting his teaching style to modern wellness rules and workplace norms. The script also revisits contemporary and later reviews of Scrubs, notes criticism about outdated portrayals of women and characters like the Todd, and highlights memorable episodes such as ‘My Screw Up,’ ‘My Last Words,’ ‘My Old Lady,’ ‘My Fallen Idol,’ and the season eight finale originally intended as the series finale.

00:00 Scrubs Revival Is Here: Johnny’s Hype & Personal Connection
00:43 What We Know So Far: Premise, Returning Cast & Who Might Be Missing
03:03 New Faces at Sacred Heart + Honoring Sam Lloyd (Ted)
04:07 The Season 9 Problem: Reboot vs Revival (and the ‘Med School’ Debate)
05:27 How the Revival Finally Happened: Podcast, Ads, and Scheduling the Reunion
06:07 Spoiler Zone: First Look Clips & Where Everyone Is Now
07:48 Modern Hospital, Modern Rules: Dr. Cox vs HR, Wellness, and New Interns
09:23 Why Scrubs Worked: Early Reviews, What Aged Poorly, and Best Episodes
13:11 Final Thoughts + When to Watch (ABC/Hulu)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac--4522158/support.

Daily Comedy News is the number one comedy news podcast, delivering daily coverage of standup comedy, late night television, comedy specials, tours, and the business of comedy.

COMEDY SURVIVOR in the facebook group.

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.