No comedian has ever been racist, Kill Tony is still a Nazi podcast, and Tim Dillon believes in aliens.

On the Comedy Fee Tracker and some unreported documents I obtained about SNL’s early-pandemic return to the studio.

References:

Comedy Fee tracker/general FOIA research:

SNL’s early-pandemic return:

Mary Beth Barone in The Guardian:

On comedy's power, Shane Gillis's record-breaking show, and Yondr's GOAT investor.

References:

On the Gillis show: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/shane-gillis-comedy-guinness-world-records-race-1236653474/

2022 New Yorker profile: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/09/26/shane-gillis-fall-and-rise

On "Sesh": https://seshproducts.com/blogs/posts/sesh-raises-40-million-from-8vc-post-malone-and-diplo-to-take-on-zyn

2020 WSJ profile of Yondr founder Graham Dugoni: https://www.wsj.com/articles/yondr-graham-dugoni-profile-11583842460

2015 THR article about Yondr: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/how-dave-chappelle-is-creating-844886/

On how much money comedians make, what Lorne Michaels has to hide, and the New York Comedy Festival booking the racist of the hour.

References:

On my ongoing FOIA research: https://www.humorism.xyz/how-much-money-is-matt-rife-making/

The Lorne Michaels collection: https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/press/releases/2025/lorne-michaels-entrusts-harry-ransom-center-with-historic-snl-collection/

Ben Bankas: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/comedian-ben-bankas-minnesota-shows-cancelled-mocked-renee-goods-death-rcna256709

On being good.

References:

Virtue Signal Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/noisyghostpodcast/i-swear-we-like-standup

Good One Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIUOY22WM_Q

Good For You w/ Whitney Cummings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIvQtR5t-n0

Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast: https://youtu.be/RobObR3AG18?si=fbQK6fgS-ZL9y2RL&t=1489

Part of the Problem w/ Dave Smith: https://youtu.be/noJCdc_K2ok?si=lCogTLlLAjnmg330&t=3511

On Louis CK.

References:

New Yorker on Louis CK: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/02/10/can-louis-ck-spin-his-troubles-into-art

Slate on Louis CK: https://slate.com/culture/2026/06/louis-ck-netflix-comedy-special-ridiculous-review.html

Louis CK on Bill Maher at the Mark Twain Award ceremony: https://www.avclub.com/mark-twain-prize-bill-maher-louis-ck

Stephen Dobyns, "How to Like It": https://genius.com/Stephen-dobyns-how-to-like-it-annotated

On the return of Jeff Ross.

References:

The Rundown on Jeff Ross's Defamation Lawsuit: https://www.humorism.xyz/the-rundown-on-jeff-rosss-defamation/

Vulture/NYMag article about Jeff Ross: https://archive.is/0AeAQ

Vanity Fair article ft. cameo from Bryan Freedman: https://archive.is/6qHgZ

Hollywood Reporter report on the defamation case against Bryan Freedman: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/bryan-freedman-justin-baldoni-smear-opposing-counsel-1236570516/

Insider report on Bryan Freedman's 1991 settlement (not 1999, as I say in the podcast; my mistake): https://archive.is/wEbPc

Revisiting the Riyadh Comedy Festival.

Concerning some professional matters, Marlon Wayans' defense of Dave Chappelle, and the Roast of Kevin Hart.

Concerning Nate Bargatze's monument to Nate Bargatze.