Journalist/Comedian Harmon Leon dives into comedy cult classics, comedic influences, and all things comedy history.
William Topaz McGonagall (1825 –1902) has the notoriety of being the worst poet in Scottish history. What they said about McGonagall back in the day was:
“He was so giftedly bad he unwittingly backed in genius.”
When McGonagall would perform his poetry, it usually resulted in being pelted with rotten eggs, peas, and herring. The comedy legacy of McGonagall is he went on to influence the likes of Monty Python, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, The Muppets, and of course, Harry Potter.
We dive into the history of the legendary Improv comedy club. Learn about Bud Friedman and his club that launched the careers of Andy Kaufman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, Sarah Silverman, and just about everyone else who is famous in the world of comedy.
Find out about the humble beginnings in Hell's Kitchen. When did the iconic brick wall come about? How did the Improv became a megalopolis comedy brand?
We continue our deep dive into the history of racist British comedians. In this episode we talk about such racist British sitcoms as Til Death Do Us Part, Curry and Chips, and Peter Sellers role in The Party.
Plus we recap some of the highlights of the racist comedy careers of comedian Jim Davidson, Roy Chubby Brown, and Bernard Manning. And what finally changed the face of British comedy?
