Dan Has Jokes

What if you had to live in the backseat of a luxury car? What if that small living space was haunted? These are some of the many questions raised by the minds of two of DC's funniest comics, Jamie Benedi and Kevin Tit. Dan, Jamie, and Kevin discuss awkward performing experiences and talk about famous veteran comedians who turned out to be creeps. Kevin discusses his comedy album, and Jamie talks about his brief stint as a terrifying comedic ventriloquist. Then they work on jokes about misspent wealth, ghostly metaphors for economic oppression, and movie slashers.

In the extended episode (available at patreon.com/danhasjokes) Jamie shares a fascinating story about a legendary monster with racist origins, and he and Kevin help Dan with a couple of jokes about 3D printing and ghosts that are lazy or disinterested in the people they live with.

Episode available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES. Dan talks with Knoxville-based comedian Tyler Sonnichsen about writing jokes about religion, and then they work on a one-liner for Dan who claims to wear the pants in his house.

Most of us, when we were children, were busy working on elaborate apocalypse survival plans, but not Lilly Sparks. She's a bit quirky, you see? And she has a whole bit about virgin sacrifices to prove it. Dan sits down to talk to Lilly, who is less than a year into comedy. They talk about film and art and her dad's podcast about medicare for all (hear! hear!). In honor of Lilly being in her first year, Dan shares a joke from his first year that he could never get to work. Then he and Lilly try to sharpen up a bit about escaping from being sacrificed as a child.

In the extended episode (available at patreon.com/danhasjokes), Dan shares another first year joke that sort of worked sometimes, which involved taking a classic old joke and expanding on it in a weird direction. Lilly thinks the joke should be darker. Then Lilly explores the possibility of doing a joke about her family's experience of an inverted version of the American Dream.

Who was the original model for truck nuts? This is one of many questions pondered by Mike Quindlen, a beloved comedian and booker in the Baltimore comedy scene. Mike talks about how and why he got involved in comedy, and Dan explores more of Gary Gulman's comedy tips to the point where we should probably worry that Dan is in a Gary Gulman cult. Dan and Mike also talk about dealing with hecklers. Dan wants to improve a bit he's been using dealing with his personal anxiety, while Mike is looking for a way to get an audience to enjoy his rant about genealogies.

In the extended episode (available at patreon.com/danhasjokes) Dan shares a weird bit with Mike in which he attempts to respond to the criticism that he only tells jokes about animals. Meanwhile Mike wishes he could get a better response to a bit involving crabs and heroine.

Tommy Sinbazo discusses his origins as a colorful plaid-wearing, bongo-playing comedian, and he and Dan talk about some of the more bizarre stand-up acts they've encountered in the Baltimore comedy scene. Tommy talks about what the scene was like long before Dan started performing. He also gives some great general advice for newer comics. Then he and Dan work on building up a promising bit about a dentist visit.

In the extended episode (available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES) Tommy gives even more valuable advice for comics who are just starting out, especially related to their EPK (electronic press kit). Dan works on a joke about an odd experience in the city of Nyack, New York, and his joke writing session with Tommy has a shocking surprise twist ending!

Abby Mello drops by to talk about her experience of getting into stand-up comedy, and she and Dan talk about some practical ways that new comics can find rooms to perform in. Abby talks about how she brings her perspective as an academic into the comedy process, and expresses a desire to do a psychological study of people who get into comedy. She and Dan work on jokes about marrying Santa Claus and unconventional ways of addressing dementia.

In the extended episode (available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES) Dan and Abby talk about comedy resources, and Dan shares his experience of mentoring another comic using principles he learned in an e-book. Dan shares a couple weird new jokes, and then he and Abby do a joke writing exercise together to come up with some more options for her dementia joke.

Mariel Farhi is just coming up on celebrating her one year anniversary of performing comedy, and she and Dan discuss some of the performing lessons she has learned in that time. They talk about showing up consistently and putting in the work for joke writing, which includes knowing when to let a joke die. Dan and Mariel work on a listener-submitted joke about dog surfing, leading to some funny ideas and a very odd story from Mariel's middle school days.

In the extended episode (available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES) Dan unveils some of the terrible jokes he tried during his own first year of stand-up, and Mariel brings some ideas for jokes about serial killers and a childhood game where she pretended to meet Osama Bin Laden.

You haven't heard a good movie rant until you've spent some time with John Nagle. John, who has cerebral palsy, "has some thoughts" when it comes to the Bryan Cranston/Kevin Hart film The Upside and its depiction of life with a disability. John wants to turn these thoughts into a bit for the stage, and it seems to be a very promising bit, though he and Dan discuss some ways to make it stronger. Dan and John also spend some time discussing the lack of accessibility in many comedy venues, and the impact this has on the comedy itself.

In the extended episode (available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES) Dan and John go on many tangents about Mel Brooks, the Marx Brothers, and Looney Tunes, and Dan works on a number of short jokes that either meet with John's approval or go willingly into the trash bin.

Oh boy. This one is a doozie, friends. You may be familiar with comedian Tom Myers, whether from listening to his various stand-up albums, or watching his media appearances, or even just from getting caught up in his unique comedy legacy, which has gained a rather impressive following online. If so, you know exactly what you're getting into with this one. If you aren't familiar with Tom Myers… you will be soon enough.

In the extended episode (available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES), Tom shares some wild stories from his life as a traveling comedian, talks about taking down hecklers, and discusses his reasons for why he named his most recent comedy album MAKE AMERICA INNATE AGAIN. Dan is determined to finish writing a joke about helping his mom write her autobiography, while Tom shares joke ideas ranging from bachelor parties to religious schools to enhanced interrogation techniques.

Dan talks with DC comedian Natalie McGill about bombing, and then they work on a joke about a song with an oddly sexual connection to Christmas. To Dan's absolute delight, Natalie sparks a discussion about Kurtis Blow, leading to yet another attempt to salvage Dan's Kurtis Blow joke.

In the extended episode (available at PATREON.COM/DANHASJOKES), Dan and Natalie talk about forgetting things onstage, and ways of writing material from one's own experience. Natalie shares her love for old TV shows, and Dan tells a story from childhood about how his mother forbade him to watch Pee-Wee Herman's show or movies in the most traumatizing way possible.

Dan tries to build a joke on his experience of almost witnessing a knife fight in the San Francisco Public Library, and Natalie works on a bit about the way prizes are distributed at trivia nights. Dan has a one-liner about an odd food choice, while Natalie has a joke about being invited to join a threeway.