It’s been nearly a year since John Early released his first stand-up special, Max’s ‘Now More Than Ever.’ But it’s only now that he’s gotten the chance to talk about the go-for-broke special in-depth, with any chance at promotion waylaid by last summer and fall’s back-to-back strikes. And the comedian, best known for his work on ‘Search Party,’ ‘30 Rock,’ and with collaborator Kate Berlant, is relishing his overdue moment in the spotlight. In this episode of The Last Laugh podcast—Early’s second appearance on the show, following his 2022 visit with Berlant—he opens up about the genesis of his Emmys category-breaking special, including how he sees himself as less in step with his fellow campaigning comics and more in the mold of performers like Bette Midler.

Plus, Matt and Allegra take a look at John Early’s Emmy competition in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded) category and share their thoughts on who else deserves some love over the same old contenders.

Follow John Early on Twitter @bejohnce and Instagram @bejohnce

Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein

Follow Allegra Frank on Twitter @LegsFrank

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Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

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