This week, Wits is at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas with one of the all-time greats of comedy, actor Fred Willard. He shares some behind-the-scenes stories of those classic Christopher Guest comedies he appeared in like Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman. We also have songs from beloved Austin-based music guests Shinyribs and Carrie Rodriguez. Plus, we find out what inspired Abbott and Costello’s most famous routine.

88: Fred Willard with Shinyribs and Carrie Rodriguez

Wits was a weekly national public radio broadcast produced and distributed by American Public Media. As of September 2015, the broadcast ended. The stage shows that provided material for the broadcast are on hiatus, as is the podcast version of Wits. It is our intention to take a little time away from Wits and then look for ways to bring it back on stage and in podcast in a different form. On Wits, some of the top names in comedy and music have joined host John Moe for sketch comedy, improv, conversation, songs and genuine beauty in a program praised as "one of the rare public radio comedy shows that's actually funny" (Huffington Post) and "one of the most unique, entertaining and diverse shows on radio" (The Growler). You can listen to all of our archives online and follow host John Moe on Twitter (@johnmoe) for more information on Wits and other projects.

Comedy

This week on Wits, a special audience choice episode. We asked listeners to tell us what segments they loved on Wits, and they picked their favorites: Amazon Review Theater with comedians Paul F. Tompkins and Keegan-Michael Key, Pop Song Correspondences, sketches about angels in our appliances and Linus losing it when he's separated from his blanket. Plus, Har Mar Superstar with a full horn section, and much more.

58: Audience Choice Show 2014

This week’s episode features some of our favorite musical moments on Wits, including performances from Har Mar Superstar, Thao Nguyen, Martha Wainwright, Dan Wilson and Sara Watkins, Loudon Wainwright III, Typhoon, Aimee Mann and Ted Leo and more.

69: Music Wits

This week's show was recorded at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles. With the help of Paul F. Tompkins, Patton Oswalt, Keegan-Michael Key, Ellie Kemper, Aimee Mann and Ted Leo, we hear what superheroes do when there's down time at the Hall of Justice, get a peek at how Big Foot influenced Fleetwood Mac's Rumors, and find out why someone gave Monty Python and the Holy Grail a one-star review on Amazon.com.

47: Paul F. Tompkins, Keegan-Michael Key, Patton Oswalt, Ellie Kemper and The Both (Part Two)

In this week's episode, comedian and actress Kristen Schaal appears as a jaded hamster and a cop who's just had her first ever cup of coffee; singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright plays a cat and sings a stunning a cappella version of his song "Candles," and the real estate agent for the B-52's has a hard time selling a certain property known as the "Love Shack."

22: Kristen Schaal with Rufus Wainwright

On this week's episode of Wits, top stand-up comedian, and 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live veteran, Hannibal Buress tells about the made-up childhood of Alex Trebek, hip hop artist Open Mike Eagle has a hitherto unexplored question for the Party People, and we find out what you really get at a deli when you place a certain lunch order. Plus, a Pop Song Correspondence from Journey's put-upon editor.

88: Fred Willard with Shinyribs and Carrie Rodriguez

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