The Other Side

Clayton English won the 2015 edition of "Last Comic Standing," and now he's making his DC Improv headlining debut (March 31-April 3).

He tells us about the scene in his hometown of Atlanta and why it seems to produce so many great comics. He gives us some scoop on "The Walking Dead." AND we find out how they passed the time on the "Last Comic Standing" tour bus.

It's a fun chat with a very cool guy ... check it out, and if you want tickets, get 'em ASAP.

The search for the funniest president continues! When presenting himself to the public, Lyndon Johnson tried to be the stiff, serious model of a president. But as a politician, LBJ had a remarkable gift for humor. Many of his friends (and foes) remember him as the ultimate storyteller. Armed with an endless supply of folksy anecdotes and colorful expressions, Johnson could use comedy to control a situation, whenever it seemed necessary.

Our guest is the great playwright Robert Schenkkan, the man behind "All the Way." That play -- which won several Tony awards in 2014 -- dramatizes the first year of Johnson's presidency, when he was fighting for both passage of the Civil Rights Act and his election in 1964. Robert has produced a remarkable character study of LBJ, and he tells us how LBJ's sense of humor fits into that portrait.

Music: "Hail Columbia," "Under a Texas Moon" by Guy Lombardo, "Texas Shuffle" by Count Basie and his Orchestra

The search for the funniest president continues! Rutherford Hayes was a good lawyer, a fine soldier and a world-class beard-grower. But was he also the funniest president?

Kristina Smith of the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums (located in beautiful Fremont, Ohio) get us acquainted with the 19th president and his sense of humor. We talk about Hayes' diary, his skill as a conversationalist, and the many ways he is exactly like your dad. Seriously, Hayes might be the ultimate dad president.

MUSIC: Hail Columbia, "The Bearded One" by Nat Pierce and his Orchestra, "My Ohio Home" by Jean Goldkette and his Orchestra

Up next: Back to the 20th century ...

The search for the funniest president continues! William McKinley had a pretty amazing political career. But after an assassin voted Bill out of office, Theodore Roosevelt stole his spotlight, his thunder and a lot of his legacy. The American public has forgotten a lot about the 25th president.

Should we try to remember his sense of humor? Our special guest is Chris Kenney, the director of education at the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum in Canton, Ohio. He's giving us a crash course on McKinley's personality and sharing a few stories showing the lighter side of a very successful politician. Plus, we get a little more insight into what it's like to play a president -- Chris sometimes dons the top hat and does a first-person interpretation of McKinley.

MUSIC: Hail Columbia, "McKinley for President" by Ray McKinley's Orchestra, "Little Niles" by Randy Weston

Next week: To be determined

The search for the funniest president continues! William Henry Harrison is the closest thing we have to a punchline president. After a lifetime of public service, he became the commander-in-chief, then died one month later.

But does that make Harrison the funniest president? Our guest this week is Megan Amram, a fantastic comedy writer and Twitter savant who worked on "Parks and Recreation." She was the lead writer on the 2015 episode titled "William Henry Harrison," so she's actually given some serious thought to the comedic value of the ninth president.

We talk about Harrison, the joy of weird museums, and the ethic of "Parks and Rec" -- one of the most respected (and fairly bipartisan) sources of political humor from the last decade.

Music: Hail Columbia, "Indiana" by Art Tatum, "Indiana" by Earl Fatha Hines

Next week: William McKinley, with the assistance of the McKinley museum in Canton

The search for the funniest president continues! Barack Obama is currently the leader of the free world … but when he changes jobs in a few months, will he have a future in comedy?

Two great guests stop by the Improv to break down the humor of the 44th president. Brad Jenkins worked in the White House Office of Public Engagement as the liaison to the creative community. David Litt was a presidential speechwriter whose duties included taking the lead on the White House Correspondents’ Association speeches. Today, they’re the Washington office of the comedy juggernaut Funny or Die.

We talk about the president’s natural humor, and some of the revolutionary ways the Obama administration has used humor as a communications strategy for the digital age. Not to be missed!

MUSIC: Hail Columbia, "Everybody Does It in Hawaii" by King Oliver and his Orchestra, "Hawaiian War Chant" by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra

Next week: Megan Amram on William Henry Harrison and "Parks and Recreation"

The search for the funniest president continues!

Sure, Ulysses Grant saved American democracy for all future generations. But was he FUNNY? To get the answer, we’re talking to Grant himself -- with the assistance of Kenneth J. Serfass.

Ken is an educator and a retired U.S. Marine. His involvement in Civil War re-enacting, combined with his lifelong fascination with Grant, resulted in a very interesting career. Ken does a “first person living history impression” of the general, transforming himself into Grant for public events and presentations. He makes his home in Gettysburg, Pa., and that’s where we went for a lunchtime chat with both Ken and his alter-ego.

MUSIC: Hail Columbia, “My Good Man Sam” by King Oliver and his Orchestra, “Frolic Sam” by Barney Bigard and his Jazzopaters

Next week: David Litt and Brad Jenkins discuss Barack Obama.

The search for the funniest president continues!

There’s no question that Calvin Coolidge was funny – stories of his wit have survived the test of time. But what makes him fascinating is the way he used his natural humor strategically. “Silent Cal” was a true innovator in packaging and selling his personality to the public, in a way that advanced both his popularity and his policy agenda.

Our guide this week is arguably the leading Coolidge scholar of her generation. Journalist / author / historian Amity Shlaes has written four New York Times best-sellers, including “Coolidge,” a 2013 biography of the 30th president. She’s also the chairman of the board for the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation. Coolidge himself would have wanted this whole thing off the record, but get ready to enjoy the silence.

Music: Hail Columbia, "My Silent Love" by Isham Jones and His Orchestra, "Plymouth Rock" by the Benny Carter Orchestra

Next week: Ulysses S. Grant tells us about Ulysses S. Grant.

Brandon T. Jackson has been a movie star ("Tropic Thunder"), a TV star ("Mr. Robinson") and a stand-up star (he headlines the Improv 2/26 - 2/28). Now he's about to be a reality star. He calls in from the set of "Living With Funny," his new series documenting the lives of comedians and their families.

We talk about the show, why his Detroit roots are so important to him, and what it's like to start your stand-up career in a church. Get to know him, then come to see him.

The search for the funniest president continues! Take a little bit of Seinfeld, then mix in some Don Rickles, some David Sedaris and an encyclopedic knowledge of political philosophy. That might the recipe for John Adams – our second president, and possibly the funniest of the Founding Fathers.

Amanda Norton of the Massachusetts Historical Society helps us get inside Adams’ head. We talk about his gift for insults, his love of observational humor, his willingness to get a little cheeky, and his comedy partner for life – Abigail Adams. Plus, we get insight into why Adams is sometimes remembered as a frump.

Music: Hail Columbia, “Big John’s Special” by Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra

Next week: Amity Shlaes on the silent comedy of Calvin Coolidge.