comedy

Paula Poundstone has been a familiar voice to public radio listeners for years, most notably as a regular panelist on the weekly NPR news quiz, Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! But Poundstone has been an influential voice on the American comedy scene since her HBO specials of the 1980s.

Lewis Black is angry a lot of the time. At least in public. For the political comedian, that’s part of what people expect of him.

In the late 1970s and early '80s, Steve Martin was the most famous stand-up comedian in America.  Martin's albums, such as "Comedy Is Not Pretty" and "Wild and Crazy Guy" sold millions of copies and helped launch a career that went on to movies, novels, and stage plays.  But along the way, Martin lost his love for performing on stage in front of an audience.

Will Durst is back home this weekend. The political writer and comedian from Milwaukee lives in the Bay Area today, but has shows this Friday and Saturday at Comedy Sportz in Walker’s Point.

His show, Durst Case Scenario, explores America in the time of President Trump.  Normally, Durst says, the year after an election is a time when people are ready for a break from political comedy.  But not this year, he says. 

Undoubtedly, President Donald Trump has had a “yuge” impact on the comedy world, and some are touting this as a golden age for satire and political comedy. But for comedians like Hari Kondabolu, the so-called Trump Bump has just made their brand of humor more immediately relatable for audiences. 

"He sadly creates a very easy segue into very difficult material. I mean, I wish it wasn’t the case, but unfortunately it does kind of make it a little easier," Kondabolu says. 

If you love comedy, it’s a great weekend to be in Brew City, for this weekend marks the 12th anniversary of the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. And it gets even better, if you’re a fan of the Wet Hot American Summer film and Netflix series. For not only did the new season just start streaming, but one of its stars will be in town this Sunday, headlining the comedy festival: Michael Ian Black.

Susan Silver may have left Milwaukee to follow her dreams in Los Angeles, but she says she's back in full force to discuss her years as a TV comedy writer on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and her escapades in love. Her new memoir, Hot Pants in Hollywood: Sex, Secrets & Sitcoms details her encounters with people like Jim Morrison and Elvis in addition to dishing out advice for women pursuing their dreams. 

Lane Moore appreciates dating app blunders so much that she decided to make them happen live in her comedy show, Tinder LIVE! Ahead of Moore’s Friday Turner Hall show in Milwaukee, she joins Lake Effect to discuss how swiping left and right in real-time went from an inside joke to a comedy she says everyone can relate to.

From Congress to city hall, Americans are engaging in heated national discussions, picking apart topics from climate change and the economy to gun control and healthcare. Particularly at town halls, where politicians aim to connect with their constituents, tempers have flared.

Milwaukee-area musician Mike Mangione's podcast, called Time & The Mystery, is described as a series of artist-to-artist conversations with musicians, actors, comedians and others about the philosophy behind what they do and how they connect with their audience.

During the Presidential campaign and in the weeks following Donald Trump's election last fall, actor Alec Baldwin was responsible for the definitive - satirical - impression of the incoming President.  Baldwin's Trump routines on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" made headlines for poking fun at the headlines the President-elect himself was making.

For the last 25 years, The Onion has been the satirical newspaper of record. But as the lines between real and fake news are blurrier than ever, does that mean the end of satire? The paper's founding editor, Scott Dikkers, says this is an age-old question.

Comedian and Wisconsin native Shane Mauss makes a stop in Milwaukee Wednesday night, along his 80-city A Good Trip tour. He calls his show “part stand-up, part funny stories of experiences, and part Ted Talk.”

He takes audiences on a funny journey through the stigma, history, laws and science of psychedelics.

Milwaukee-area musician Mike Mangione's podcast, called Time & The Mystery, is described as a series of artist-to-artist conversations with musicians, actors, comedians and others about the philosophy behind what they do - and how they connect with their audience.

Magione joins Lake Effect for the first segment in our new monthly series to highlight some of his conversations.

Note, Dec. 1st: The Guy Branum show on Dec. 14th has been canceled.

Whether you enjoy holiday traditions, or find them stressful, there’s one thing most people can agree upon this time of the year: we could all use some comic relief.  Luckily for us, we have Comedy Contributor Matt Kemple to share his suggestions as to just where we might find that cup of cheer.