Obsessed: The Podcast

What makes Larry David one of the most fascinating—and famously difficult—figures in comedy? On this episode of Obsessed, host Matt Wilstein sits down with Blake J. Harris, author of the new authorized biography Emperor of Nothing: The Making of Larry David, to uncover the stories behind the mind that created Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Harris reveals how Larry David’s real-life experiences inspired some of television’s most iconic moments, why his disastrous stint at Saturday Night Live nearly derailed his career, and how the pressure of making Seinfeld pushed him to the brink. Plus, they get into David’s complicated relationship with fame, his personal falling out with Cheryl Hines, and the surprising stories behind his creative clashes and career-defining decisions. If you’ve ever wondered how much George Costanza is really Larry David—or what it takes to get the comedy legend to open up—this is a must-listen conversation.

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Comedian and Emmy-nominated writer Nimesh Patel joins Matt Wilstein on Obsessed: The Podcast for a sharp, hilarious conversation about political comedy, free speech, and the line between provocative humor and controversy. Patel discusses his new Netflix stand-up special, By the Dip, including his jokes about FBI Director Kash Patel, the Trump administration, and why he chose to take on some political targets while leaving others alone. He also reflects on his time writing for Saturday Night Live alongside Colin Jost and Michael Che, the evolution of comedy in a polarized political climate, the backlash surrounding Shane Gillis, and his decision to reconsider performing at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival. Plus, Patel revisits the Columbia University controversy that thrust him into the spotlight and shares candid thoughts on censorship, cancel culture, and the business of comedy.
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Judd Apatow chats with Matt Wilstein about his new documentary, Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald, and the complicated, singular comedian at its center. Apatow explains why he chose to let Norm tell his own story through archival footage, stand-up, interviews, and the strange truths hidden inside his fake memoir, before revisiting Norm’s infamous firing from Saturday Night Live and the decision to keep going after O.J. Simpson jokes angered NBC executives. They also get into Norm’s complicated relationship with politics, the pressures facing comedians in the Trump era, his later clashes with cancel culture, and the clues Apatow found about the illness Norm kept private until his death. Plus, Apatow opens up about why he thinks Hollywood has become less willing to take risks on comedies, his hopes for The Comeback King, and whether Bridesmaids or Superbad could ever get a sequel.
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Kathy Griffin joins Kevin Fallon on Obsessed to explain why her New Face, New Tour shows can swing from facelift stories and celebrity gossip to a call for political action. She recalls the years she says she was shut out of Hollywood after her infamous Trump photo, the advice Jim Carrey gave her when she feared she might never find the funny again and the surprising kindness Kim Kardashian showed her at her lowest point. Griffin also dishes on her third facelift, why she still considers herself a D-lister and how Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List keeps her late mother Maggie’s jokes alive. Through it all, she’s determined to make audiences laugh, speak her mind and leave the theater knowing the people sitting beside them.
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Final Destination star Devon Sawa joins Kevin Fallon on Obsessed for a Halloween-season trip through the roles that made him a ’90s crush and a horror icon. He reveals the audience reaction that told him Final Destination was something special, how the movie led Dr. Dre to cast him in Eminem’s Stan video and why Casper still holds a special place in his heart. Sawa also talks about joining fellow ’90s favorite Tiffani Thiessen on the new Freeform series Coven Academy, the nerves he felt before filming a love scene with Jean Smart on Hacks and his pitch for a darker Casper sequel.
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