Hey We're Back!

This episode was actually recorded in front of an audience in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was a group of people so willing to laugh it was depressing. They were sweet, playful and most important, punctual.

The show begins with me breaking the first rule of radio—it’s what the audience hears, not what they see. I started the night by showing the audience a clip from the series of biblical shorts I have been doing for nextbook.org. This is the one where I play Him to Todd Barry’s Moses. You get to hear what they saw.

Then I tell jokes—what i have been doing since 1981 when there were not that many jokes. I sing the theme song from my CD Jonathan Katz Caffeinated. Why does my CD need a theme song?

Finally, I remember that I am on hold, and I pick up the phone and talk to Miss Kiley, voiced by Jane Brucker.

("Holding For Miss Kiley"  was developed into an animated short movie. You can see it here.)

Doing a fake radio show in front of real people is fun. Improv Boston is a great place. They made me feel at home. I don’t even feel at home at home.

Thanks for listening.

Jonathan

Featuring: Todd Barry, Jane Brucker
Music: Mike Shapiro, Billy Novick, and Guy Van Duser
Additional Music: Gemini
Special Thanks to Stephen and Joel Levinson, Jesse Novak, nextbook.org, and Improv Boston

This episode was recorded live at Logan Airport in Boston—until airport security realized I wasn’t going anywhere. They suggested that I go home. I did, but I made one stop on the way: The Orpheum Theater in Boston, where I recorded another round of my new game show Six Months On A Desert Island. Laura Silverman was my guest. While at Logan, I took calls and gave financial advice to anyone who asked. I had another difficult encounter with telephone information, and my wife tried to sell me land. Maybe I am too available.

Jonathan Katz

Featuring: Myla Pitt, Ron Lynch, Laura Silverman
Music: Mike Shapiro, Billy Novick, and Guy Van Duser
Special Thanks to Lee Ackleberger

The first stop is my favorite cafeteria in NYC, at the Cornell medical building. I used to meet my dad there for lunch. After lunch I decided to take the day off. I walked home and caught my wife in the act with another man and even though I have imagined this a million times I never thought I would have such a “violent” reaction.

The Hip Hop community…it sounds so cute, but most people do not consider themselves members of this group.

More than twenty years ago I became friends with a guy named Frank Morgan. I called him about 15 years ago and last week he returned my call. We spent New Year’s Eve together and reconnected almost immediately. He is a wonderful singer/songwriter so I took a break and shut up

Featuring: Kathy Griffin, Frank Morgan, Davina
Music: Mike Shapiro, Billy Novick, and Guy Van Duser
Additional Music: Frank Morgan, Macy Gray
Additional Recording: Jesse Novak, Jennifer Crow
Additional Editing: Tom Snyder

In this episode, I explore my shortcomings as a soul singer, my success with weddings and bar mitzvahs, and some of the more subtle differences between me and James Taylor.

Music by: Mike Shapiro, Billy Novick, and Guy Van Duser
Additional Music by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, James Taylor, T-Bone Wolk

This episode was underwritten in part by Albion Productions (Keeping Newton Funny for over twenty years), and the Mighty, Mighty, Winooski River.

This episode is about scams: I get scammed by a young woman on the phone, just by dropping my guard for one second.

Then I try and scam a guy who works for The Geek Squad. They gave me some very bad advice, and have not yet assumed responsibility.

Then I do some very solid comedy on the block, and when I am done, the audience is surprised that I want to get paid.

Then I am paid a visit, on the phone, by Lou Dobbs. I took some liberties with his recorded voice.

Featuring: Lou Dobbs, Myla Pitt, Wren Ross
Music by: Mike Shapiro, Billy Novick, and Guy Van Duser