Paula Poundstone may have essentially invented “crowd work,” as the process of turning conversations with members of an audience into comedy is known today. But she still hates the term. “If I’m  walking down the street and I say hi to somebody, is that street work?” she asks. In this episode, Poundstone opens up about her unlikely path to becoming a comedy icon in the 1980s and ‘90s and how it all nearly came crashing down after her arrest in 2001. She also reflects on her frosty relationship with Johnny Carson, reveals what her own early brush with “cancel culture” made her think about second chances and a lot more. 

Follow Paula Poundstone on Twitter @paulapoundstone and Instagram @paulapoundstone

Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilstein

Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod

Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast

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