Johnny Mac discusses the Sept. 10 “New York City, Still Rising” 9/11 charity comedy benefit at Madison Square Garden, noting Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson’s involvement and that several announced performers (Aziz Ansari, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Ronny Chieng, and Davidson) also played the Riyadh Comedy Festival, while wondering if NYC Mayor Mamdani would attend and how he’d be received. He covers comedian Mary Beth Barone’s support of Mamdani and her criticism of Democratic Party leadership. From Just for Laughs Montreal’s State of the Industry, he highlights jokes and commentary from Jay Jurden and Gianmarco Soresi about various comedians and the festival. He then spotlights Seth Simons’ FOIA-based Comedy Fee Tracker database (humorism.xyz) with reported booking fees for major comics. Finally, he gives “buy” recommendations: Mary Beth Barone, Stavros Halkias (new special coming), and Jimmy Fallon, citing a USA Today profile on Fallon’s new short-form microdrama and recent ratings momentum.
 
00:17 9/11 Benefit Lineup
01:50 Mamdani Supporter Spotlight
02:33 JFL Industry Roast
05:10 Comedy Fee Tracker
07:53 Comedy Stock Picks
09:07 Jimmy Fallon Fluff Piece
 

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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.

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

Johnny Mac reports on the Daily Comedy News, leading with Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson’s “NYC Still Rising After 25 Years: A 9/11 Charity’s Comedy Benefit” at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 10 with headliners including Stewart, Davidson, Dave Chappelle, Aziz Ansari, Bill Burr, Ronny Chieng, Nikki Glaser, and Josh Johnson, noting Davidson’s father FDNY firefighter Scott Davidson died on 9/11 and recalling the 20-year show lineup. John Mulaney announces “Mulaney Takes Manhattan,” nine iconic NYC venues in nine nights Jan. 7–15 from Comedy Cellar to Madison Square Garden. Other items: Stavros Halkias’ Netflix special “Uncle Stav” Sept. 8; Jeff Dunham’s iPhone-shot “250th Red, White and Blue Birthday Special” on YouTube now and wider streaming Oct. 6; Gabriel Iglesias filming his 10th Netflix special in San Antonio Aug. 20; Jimmy Fallon accused of reusing the “fish sticks” gag from South Park; Ricky Gervais’ animated “Alley Cats” hits Netflix Aug. 7; Jim Norton and Anthony Cumia launch a YouTube/Patreon show Aug. 4; a Hollywood Reporter piece on Rick Glassman; and Nato Green’s “The Darkest Hour” on YouTube July 31 with an album Aug. 14.
 
00:18 9/11 Charity Comedy Show
01:13 Mulaney Takes Manhattan
02:11 Stavros Netflix Special
02:32 Jeff Dunham iPhone Special
03:48 Fluffy Special Announcement
04:14 Fallon Fish Sticks Controversy
05:35 Ricky Gervais Alley Cats
07:00 Norton and Cumia Reunion
08:40 Rick Glassman Profile
09:50 Nato Green Darkest Hour
 

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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 

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

Johnny Mac opens with a clip of comedian Tommy Kang doing a Rodney Dangerfield-style set about being Chinese, family insults, and a Taiwan joke, then reports Larry the Cable Guy was hospitalized in Lincoln, Nebraska with appendicitis, had it removed after two days, and is recovering at home after posting a humorous update. He critiques comedy at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, citing Variety’s take on Trump’s nervous delivery and weak material. From Just for Laughs in Montreal, he shares remarks and jokes from honorees including Gabriel Iglesias, Lisa Gilroy, Chris Fleming, Atsuko Okatsuka, and Bruce Hills receiving the JFL Legacy Tribute Award with taped tributes. Other notes include Tracy Morgan’s Paramount+ show ending, Dan Harmon saying Chevy Chase’s Community-movie involvement isn’t his call, late-night ratings updates, and Billboard’s June comedy Boxscore led by Nate Bargatze, with Matt Rife, Weird Al, Jim Gaffigan, and Peter Kay also listed.
 
00:15 Tommy Kang Clip
01:32 Larry Cable Guy Update
02:21 Trump Dinner Joke
03:33 Just for Laughs Awards
05:56 Bruce Hills Tribute
07:31 Quick Comedy Notes
08:11 Late Night Ratings
10:54 Kimmel Contract Gossip
12:10 Top Touring Comics
13:00 Weird Al  
 

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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 

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

Johnny Mac delivers poolside comedy news, starting with a Variety conversation between Tracy Morgan and Marcello Hernandez about bonding on SNL, Hernandez’s plain-slice pizza order, Eddie Murphy advice, a “Domingo” character note, and Morgan’s controversial remark about teachers. Mac also recaps a NorthJersey.com poll of favorite New Jersey comedians led by Jon Stewart, and discusses Jessica Kirson’s story about being scolded on The View for not saying “Star Jones Reynolds,” followed by Kirson using a gay slur about Jones’s ex-husband. Other items include Gary Gulman on wandering a mall as a kid, Weird Al turning down a seven-figure offer to play the Riyadh Comedy Festival, Abu Dhabi Comedy Festival headliners and dates, Derek Sheen’s new hour Unrelatable, Jeff Arcuri’s wedding after a cancer misdiagnosis, and a Cracked interview with Myq Kaplan. 

00:32 Marcello Pizza Chat
01:13 Tracy Teacher Rant
01:33 SNL Season Stories
02:45 New Jersey Poll
03:38 Kirson View Drama
05:10 Gulman Mall Memories
05:56 Weird Al Turned Down Riyadh's 7 Figures
07:10 Abu Dhabi Lineup
08:05 Derek Sheen Special
08:41 Jeff Atkuri Update
09:32 Myq Kaplan Interview

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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 

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

Johnny Mac reports that Matt Rife announced a four-night comedy cruise, “Suite Life on Deck,” sailing from Miami with a Grand Turk stop Feb. 10–14, featuring comics including Craig Robinson, Nate Jackson, Eric Griffin, Finesse Mitchell, Ian Edwards, April Macy, and David Lucas, plus music/DJs, onboard activities, and meet-and-greets for the first 500 cabins. He also notes the theatrical release of “Ali G: Who Is I?” on Oct. 23 as Sacha Baron Cohen’s feature directorial debut, and that “Ted Lasso” Season 4 premieres Aug. 5 on Apple TV with Ted coaching a second-division women’s team. Other items include the 2026 Indie Street Film Festival lineup with Marc Maron’s “In Memorium,” The Daily Show’s planned vertical microdrama, Katt Williams and David Cross live-set notes, Frank Caliendo headlining the Siouxland Chamber Dinner, Flyover Comedy Festival details and pricing, and Leslie Jones’ HGTV favorites.
 
00:10 Matt Rife Comedy Cruise
01:09 Onboard Activities and Perks
02:08 Ali G Returns to Theaters
03:50 Ted Lasso Season 4 Details
05:33 Indie Street Film Festival Lineup
05:49 Daily Show Microdrama Trend
06:47 Katt Williams Concert Notes
07:39 David Cross and Caliendo News Clip
09:42 Flyover Comedy Festival and Badge Math
11:31 Leslie Jones HGTV Favorites
 

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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 

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

Conan O’Brien explains on his podcast that slicked-back “greasy” hair came from rubbing oil into a sunburned scalp after attending the outdoor Obama Museum opening, where others like Stephen Colbert and David Letterman got badly burned. The show also covers Seth Meyers mocking President Trump’s World Cup-related comments and joking about a “hex” at MetLife Stadium, and Jimmy Kimmel telling Variety his ratings improved after news of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ending, while inviting Colbert to guest host (he declined). Other items include Kimmel promoting Celebrity Millionaire with Colin Jost and Michael Che, Jost discussing pronouncing Scarlett Johansson, an AGT Howie Mandel impersonator getting buzzed off, comedian Bob Marley’s campfire accident, promotion of LiveOne’s Weekly Comedy Thing, and Just for Laughs Montreal highlights including Mae Martin recording a Netflix special and coverage of the Nasty Show and Culture Show.

00:30 Conan Hair Mystery
01:51 Seth Meyers vs Trump
03:22 Kimmel on Colbert
03:48 Celebrity Millionaire Bits
04:23 Jost Pronounces Johansson
05:31 Fake Howie on AGT
06:22 Bob Marley Catches Fire
07:38 Poolside Podcast Chaos
08:33 Weekly Comedy Thing Plug
09:32 Just for Laughs Wrap
09:56 Nasty Show Highlights
11:00 Culture Show Lineup
11:44 Summer Sunday Signoff

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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 

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

The Joe Rogan Experience is the most listened-to podcast in the world. This episode traces how Joe Rogan — a standup comedian and UFC commentator — built JRE from a loose 2009 experiment with his comedy friends into a media property worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Spotify. Topics covered include the early years and first guests, the comedy world's role in building the show's audience, how a Rogan appearance became the most valuable career move in standup comedy, the first Spotify deal, the Neil Young controversy, why Spotify renewed at a higher number despite the backlash, the Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump appearances, why Kamala Harris didn't appear in 2024, and what JRE's role in the presidential election says about where media influence actually lives right now. Also covers why the show's roots in standup comedy shaped everything about how it sounds and why nobody in traditional media saw it coming until it was too late.

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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 

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

Poolside host Johnny Mac covers fan reactions to Conan O’Brien’s slicked-back “Greaser Conan” hair on his podcast with Molly Shannon, including jokes likening him to a drug lord. He reports on David Letterman’s Montreal Comedy Festival appearance featuring Paul Shaffer, a big Canadian flag, “O Canada,” jokes apologizing for American leaders, remarks that Canada is not for sale, guest Will Arnett (SmartLess, Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman), a Will Arnett-themed top 10 list, and a closing singalong of “Takin’ Care of Business” including French lyrics. Mac notes Netflix’s Kevin Hart film “72 Hours,” Hart’s barbs at LeBron James, and Cosmo/Hola interviews with Ben Marshall and Marcello Hernandez about the movie and comedy. He previews Weird Al’s tour setlist and the Just for Laughs schedule, makes Comedy Stock Market “buys,” and plugs upcoming Rory Scovel and Whitmer Thomas specials plus Brian Bates’ new special.

 
00:19 Greaser Conan Hair
01:25 Letterman Montreal Night
02:58 Kevin Hart 72 Hours
03:53 Ben Marshall Profile
05:55 Marcello Hart Impressions
06:58 Weird Al Tour Preview
09:11 JFL Schedule Rundown
10:36 Comedy Stock Market Buys
14:14 Why Buy Scovel Thomas
15:48 Maher Netflix Skim
16:10 Leslie Jones HGTV
16:44 Brian Bates Special
 

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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 

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

Johnny Mac covers comedy news including Marcello Hernandez promoting Netflix’s “72 Hours” with Kevin Hart, sharing Today Show banter where Marcelo jokes about Hart’s nonstop hustling, wardrobe, and sockless style, plus a less-funny Late Night with Seth Meyers segment mocking Hart’s “#da kid” persona. A “kerfuffle/kerfluffle” arises after Whitney Cummings says a Trump joke from the Mark Twain Prize broadcast was requested to be cut over lawsuit fears; Netflix denies cutting it and says the Kennedy Center had contractual rights, while Cummings states Netflix supported comics. He updates the “Scrubs” revival: Joel Kim Booster exits and Ava Bunn becomes a series regular, with many originals and new recurring cast listed. He previews JFL Montreal listings, notes Rhys Darby’s special release, discusses a Telegraph critique of Sacha Baron Cohen reviving Ali G, reports James Trickey was punched during an Edinburgh Fringe evacuation and turned it into a new show, and marks the death of late-night producer Peter Lassally, 93.

 
00:15 Marcello and Kevin Hart
00:35 Today Show Clip
02:39 Outfit and Socks Roast
03:22 Seth Meyers Segment
05:12 Kerfuffle Pronunciation
05:44 Whitney Cummings Cut Joke
07:48 Scrubs Revival Update
09:17 JFL Montreal Lineup
10:24 Telegraph vs Ali G
12:31 Fringe Street Punch
13:38 Peter Lassally Tribute
 

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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 

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

Johnny Mac recaps Ricky Gervais’ BBC2 interview in which he reiterates his free-speech stance, says he doesn’t try to offend, and is now ignoring cancel-culture talk, noting complaints spike once specials hit Netflix. Mac says The Office UK is better than the U.S. version and calls David Brent far cringier than Michael Scott. He reviews Netflix’s most-watched comedy specials for the first half of 2026, praising Katt Williams at #1 and criticizing Marcelo Hernandez’s #2 spot, then notes other view counts including Mike Epps, Gervais, and Dave Chappelle. He mentions Steven Wright discussing his writing process, plays a Tim Dillon clip dismissing “deep state” claims, and shares Ryan Hamilton addressing Seinfeld comparisons. He previews Kelsey Cook’s upcoming Netflix special, lists Montreal’s New Faces and show schedule, notes Chris Rock directing a TIFF film, covers Matt Matthews’ Mobile arena backlash and response, and highlights Connor Ratliff’s Road Runner posts plus a Daffy Season trailer.
 
00:13 Ricky Gervais Free Speech
01:09 Rewatching The Office UK
01:50 Netflix Comedy Rankings
02:18 Marcelo Hernandez Roast
04:03 Kevin Hart 72 Hours
05:33 Listener Text and Airplane Recline
06:35 Steven Wright Writing
06:54 Tim Dillon Politics Rant
07:59 Ryan Hamilton Seinfeld Comparisons
09:30 Kelsey Cook Netflix Special
10:02 Montreal New Faces Preview
12:45 Toronto Film Festival Buzz
13:27 Matt Matthews Mobile Backlash
15:10 Connor Ratliff Roadrunner Project
15:23 Daffy Season Trailer
 

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