As we get to the end of the year, host Matt Wilstein is joined by The Daily Beast’s Laura Bradley to share their lists of the funniest performances of 2021, including previous podcast guests (Busy Philipps! Nicole Byer!) and more of the biggest names in comedy who made us laugh the hardest this year.
See our full list of the 20 funniest performances of 2021 at The Daily Beast.
Follow Laura Bradley on Twitter @lpbradley  Follow Matt Wilstein on Twitter @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod   ‘Succession’ clip via @jga41agher Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Funniest Performances of 2021!

Welcome to ‘The Last Laugh’: Real conversations with really funny people. Every Wednesday, The Daily Beast’s Matt Wilstein interviews some of the biggest names in comedy—as well as the new voices crashing the party—about what it’s like to make people laugh during this current cultural and political moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

TV & Film

Comedy

Comedy Interviews

It’s been more than three decades since Wanda Sykes first stepped onto the stand-up stage. And sometimes, it feels like she’s just now getting her due. This past year, the legendary comedian received her first-ever Grammy nomination for her latest Netflix special ‘I’m an Entertainer,’ which also landed nods at the Emmys and Golden Globes. The hard-hitting hour takes on many of the most divisive topics of the year without pandering to either side or ever punching down. “It’s just noise. And I like to try to cut through that,” she says of the way her comedy reacts to the broader political conversation. In this episode, Sykes takes on everything from the problem with Dave Chappelle’s anti-trans jokes to why she was shocked Will Smith didn’t get dragged out of the Oscars for slapping her friend Chris Rock to what Joe Biden has to do to win back Black men in 2024 to how she thinks about her place in the comedy pantheon and a lot more. 
This episode was originally published on December 20th, 2023.
Follow Wanda Sykes on Twitter @iamwandasykes and Instagram @iamwandasykes Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod
Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wanda Sykes on 2024, Chappelle, ‘Curb’ and More

Since first getting what she thought was her big break on ‘Last Comic Standing’ almost 15 years ago, comedian Rachel Feinstein has been waiting for something to come along and help her achieve the next level of success. “By the time this comes, I’m going to be a star,” Feinstein says. “Hopefully after this interview, I’ll at least get a Clorox commercial or something.” In this episode, recorded just after she taped her latest ‘Tonight Show’ appearance and right before her debut Netflix special ‘Big Guy’ premiered, Feinstein reveals that she may never have gotten this breakthrough moment in her career had she not done the one thing that “scared” her the most: getting married to the New York firefighter husband she spends much of her special mocking and then having a daughter. She also shares stories about mentoring Lil Jon in stand-up comedy on Donald Trump’s ‘The Apprentice,’ roasting Gilbert Gottfried’s Hitler as Anne Frank on Netflix’s ‘Historical Roasts,’ and more. 
Plus, Matt and Allegra break down what makes ‘Hacks’ the only funny comedy series on TV right now—and why Shane Gillis’ ‘Tires’ on Netflix is the exact opposite.
Follow Rachel Feinstein on Twitter @RachelFeinstein and Instagram @rachelfeinstein_ Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod
Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Feinstein’s ‘Big Guy’ on Netflix + ‘Hacks’ Rules and ‘Tires’ Sucks

With his delightfully silly roles on shows like ‘The League,’ ‘Veep,’ ‘The Good Place’ and many others, comedian Paul Scheer has always projected a sense of unencumbered fun. That’s partly why, as he explains in both his new memoir ‘Joyful Recollections of Trauma’ and on this episode, he was so hesitant to reveal the very real pain that dominated much of his childhood. Scheer talks about how comedy helped rescue him from the violently abusive household in which he was raised and has continued to be an essential part of his life as he raises children of his own. He also tells some unbelievable stories about his bizarre run-ins with celebrities like Christopher Walken and Bill Cosby, describes the unique experience of improvising opposite Larry David on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and explains how he was able to emotionally move past a whopping four unsuccessful auditions for ‘Saturday Night Live.’ 
Buy ‘Joyful Recollections of Trauma’ by Paul Scheer on Amazon
Follow Paul Scheer on Twitter @paulscheer and Instagram @paulscheer Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod
Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Scheer’s ‘Joyful Recollections of Trauma’ + SNL50 Here We Come!

Live from Netflix Is a Joke Fest in Los Angeles this past week, comedian Mae Martin returns to the podcast to share stories about making out with ‘Ted Lasso’s’ Brett Goldstein on stage, making Jon Stewart laugh on ‘John Mulaney Presents: ‘Everybody’s in LA’ and the exhilarating feeling when a new stand-up bit that kills for the first time. Martin also looks back on the surreal experience of watching their autobiographical show ‘Feel Good’ take off on Netflix at the very start of the pandemic and teases their new narrative series for which they are strongly considering becoming a brunette. And make sure to stick around until the end of the show to hear a very special acoustic performance by Claud. 
Plus, ‘John Mulaney Presents: ‘Everybody’s in LA’ wildly exceeded our expectations, leading Matt and Allegra to wonder whether we deserve more or should just be happy with the perfect six episodes that streamed during the festival.
Follow Mae Martin on Instagram @hooraymae Follow Claud on Instagram @claud.mp3 Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod
Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mae Martin (Live From Netflix Is a Joke Fest) + John Mulaney’s ‘Everybody’s in LA’

The last time Nikki Glaser was on The Last Laugh podcast, our conversation ended up producing material for her stand-up act. Now, in her return to the show, she apologizes for throwing me “under the bus” before sharing even more unfiltered thoughts about her objections to motherhood, struggles with suicidal thoughts and the very tricky balance between self-censorship and saying something she knows could get her “canceled”—all of which are integral to her latest HBO special ‘Someday You’ll Die.’ The comedian also reveals her approach to roasting Tom Brady at Netflix’s epic live event, explains why she decided to leave it all on the table with her jokes about Ted Cruz, Majorie Taylor Greene and other political figures while guest-hosting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and shares how she’s feeling about turning 40 next month. 
Come to a live taping of The Last Laugh podcast with special guest Mae Martin at Netflix Is a Joke Fest on May 8.
Follow Nikki Glaser on Instagram @nikkiglaser Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod
Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Funniest Performances of 2021!

Download our free app to listen on your phone