Breaking Bread with Tom Papa

Judd Apatow sits down with Tom Papa for a warm, funny conversation about Norm Macdonald, Maria Bamford and a lifetime spent preserving comedy. Along the way, he recalls an unforgettable night with Rodney Dangerfield, explains his digital hoarding habit and reflects on the creative guilt that keeps comedians working.

Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald and Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story are streaming now on Netflix.

Judd's film The Comeback King is in theaters February 5, 2027.

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Mark Cuban joins Tom Papa to reveal what really happens after a Shark Tank deal, explain why AI will transform work, and break down the problems hidden inside America’s healthcare system. They also talk about Cost Plus Drugs, family, wealth, Indiana football, and the airline pass that once let Mark Cuban fly almost anywhere.

Check out Cost Plus Drugs at http://costplusdrugs.com, check out the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp at http://markcubanai.org

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Josh Johnson talks with Tom Papa about developing his stand-up voice, hosting The Daily Show and why creative skill cannot be outsourced to AI. He also explains how Comedy Band Camp turns a live show into a community experience and why even a great set cannot silence a comedian's self-doubt.

Josh's tour Comedy Band Camp is on the road now.

Josh Johnson Comedy YouTube is out now.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Josh Johnson Says Elon Musk Sounds Broke
02:56 Finding His Stand-Up Voice
12:08 Why AI Cannot Replace Creative Skill
17:12 Nine Years at The Daily Show
22:49 Hosting The Daily Show
25:38 How Politics Entered the Stand-Up
37:26 Elon Musk Hecklers and Changing Minds
45:12 America's Main Character Syndrome
49:36 What Algorithms Say Josh Johnson Does
54:00 Building the Comedy Band Camp Tour
58:43 Releasing New Stand-Up Every Tuesday
1:07:50 Why Comedians Still Doubt Themselves
1:13:55 Bread and Tour Plugs

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Max Amini joins Tom Papa to talk about building a global stand-up audience through crowd work, curiosity and comedy in both English and Farsi. He shares stories from growing up in Iran, directing James the Second and shaping a live show that changes with every room. They also discuss his upcoming special and worldwide tour.

Max's film James the Second comes up in this episode.

Max's next special is on the way.

Max's international tour is on the road now.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Max Amini Knows How to Joke With Any Country
03:58 Directing James the Second
07:08 Building a Stand-Up Career on Instinct
09:51 Discovering Crowd Work
12:29 Finding a Place Outside the Industry
16:20 The Class Clown Becomes a Comedian
18:23 Growing Up Between America and Iran
21:43 Teenage Rebellion in Iran
24:48 The Iran Beyond the Headlines
27:55 Hope, Technology and a Fairer World
30:54 Performing Stand-Up in Farsi
34:19 How Max Amini Learns Every Culture
37:08 Bread, Podcasts and Real Connection
40:14 The Famous Comedian You May Not Know
43:53 Building a Global Audience Independently
48:16 Max Amini's Next Special
49:34 How Crowd Work Shapes the Show
52:23 Why Comedy Rewards Originality
56:05 Turning Old Ideas Into New Films
57:26 Cairo, Albania and a Tour Documentary
1:00:28 Bread for the Road

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Chuck Lorre joins Tom Papa to talk about his book Sitcom and the improbable road from aspiring songwriter to one of television’s most influential comedy creators. They dig into Two and a Half Men and the Charlie Sheen years Chuck admits he was in denial about, The Big Bang Theory, Roseanne, casting Jon Cryer, and the creative rules that keep audiences laughing and caring.

Chuck's book Sitcom: A Memoir is out now.

Chuck's show Leanne is out now.

Chuck's show Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is on the way.

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Tom sits down with Zach Zucker for a freewheeling conversation about cheating on the ACT, finding his artistic home in French clown school and bringing his creative family to Netflix with Stamptown. Zach also explains the Iams voiceovers keeping the operation alive and the full-circle moment that took him back to Étampes.

Zach's special Stamptown is out now.

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Brian Posehn joins Tom Papa to talk about nearly 40 years in stand-up, his lifelong love of metal and Rush, and the call that brought him into a new HBO Max show from the Big Bang Theory universe. They also get into Star Wars, The Mandalorian, Deadpool, creator-owned comics, and the joy of building a career around everything that made Brian Posehn a smart, weird kid.

Brian plays Bert in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the Big Bang Theory spinoff, streaming now on HBO Max.

Brian's stand-up tour is on the road now.

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Milan Patel and Tom trade stories about motel guests, hotel etiquette, Hinge, public pools, TSA PreCheck, and the strange calculations people make during flight delays. Plus, Milan Patel talks about The Paper, his upcoming dates with Anthony Jeselnik, and why Cybertrucks may have finally found their calling.

Catch Milan in an upcoming episode of The Paper!

Milan opens for Anthony Jeselnik in San Diego and Phoenix this December.

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Sam Morril sits down with Tom Papa for a conversation about the Knicks, unforgettable bombs, classic film noir, and taking creative risks for the right reasons. They also get into Sam Morril's new Netflix special and the movie he spent two years making on the road.

Sam Morril's new Netflix special, Incorrect, is out now. His tour mockumentary is coming to Netflix early next year.

This episode is sponsored by Monarch. Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code PAPA at monarch.com

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Tom sits down with Azniv Korkejian for a conversation about growing up between Saudi Arabia and the United States, turning nostalgia into songs, and discovering a new sense of presence through parenthood. Azniv Korkejian also shares plans for her upcoming tour and the eclectic musical influences that shaped her work. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 00:00 Bedouine Was Devastated When She Left Saudi Arabia 03:03 The new album and going independent 09:14 Turning family history into an album 18:29 Growing up in Saudi Arabia 24:20 How songwriting really happens 30:28 Creative friction with a trusted partner 34:30 Azniv Korkejian on Roger Waters 37:14 Searching for a sense of belonging 41:32 Nostalgia, healing, and parenthood 50:38 Is art a job or an identity? 58:37 From Norah Jones to homemade mixtapes 1:05:58 Simple food and buttered pasta 1:10:38 Tour plans and staying close to home

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Billy Gardell joins Tom Papa to share how rebuilding his health led him back to stand-up, and why he had to begin again at open mics. They revisit the last-chance audition that became Mike & Molly, the lessons of James Burrows, and the family relationships that keep Billy grounded as he returns to touring. Billy Gardell is touring now! Married Moments is also out now. Our thanks to: IQ Bar! Text PAPA to 64000 to get twenty percent off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. ASPCA Pet Insurance! Go to https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/PAPA to find out more. The ASPCA® is not an insurer and is not engaged in the business of insurance. For terms and conditions visit: https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/more-info/state-documents-and-sample-policies/. Products are underwritten by either Independence American Insurance Company (NAIC #26581), or United States Fire Insurance Company (NAIC #21113) and distributed by PTZ Insurance Agency Ltd

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Sarah Tiana and Tom trade stories about difficult rooms, Dodgers jokes, writing for sports television, and finding meaningful ideas without making comedy feel like a lecture. Sarah Tiana also shares her elaborate slot-machine routine and discusses Women’s Sports Now on ESPN.

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Jo Koy and Tom Papa trade stories about arena comedy, Eddie Murphy's Raw, crowd work and the lifelong pull of stand-up. Jo Koy also discusses the family inspiration behind his Netflix special Blue in the Face and how real conversations become stage material.

Jo's special Blue in the Face is out now. His book Mixed Plate is also out now.

Our thanks to:

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Pete Holmes joins Tom Papa for a candid conversation about bombing, the need to feel understood, and the strange mental and physical work behind stand-up. They also talk about faith, parenthood, life in Ojai, status anxiety, and Pete Holmes's first children's book, Spells to Cast on Your Parents.

Check out Pete's tour dates here!

Pete Holmes's first children's book, Spells to Cast on Your Parents, is available for preorder now and out in September. He wrote it for his daughter and made the artwork with tape.

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Dan Ahdoot joins Tom Papa to talk about the accidental making of his new comedy special, Yes, I Am Falafel Phil, and the challenge of keeping proven material alive. They also get into wine snobbery, a spectacular dinner with Ralph Macchio, Broadway disappointments, New York food lines, and the pleasures that no sleep score can measure. Dan's book UNDERCOOKED is out now. His special YES, I AM FALAFEL PHIL is out now. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Dan Ahdoot Can't Play the Hits Like Musicians 00:37 Dan Ahdoot Returns With Wine 05:52 Gen Z, Drinking, and Longevity 10:05 QR Codes and Lost Etiquette 15:43 Leaving Los Angeles for New York 23:19 The Mocktail Scam 26:10 Favorite Bottles and Wine Cheat Codes 32:05 Dinner With Ralph Macchio 37:47 The Broadway Show They Hated 42:01 An Accidental Comedy Special 44:35 Building the Next Stand-Up Hour 52:13 TikTok Takes Over New York Food 55:19 Steakhouses and Cigar Culture 1:01:39 Why Weed Shrinks Your World 1:04:23 The Perfect Martini 1:07:25 Dan Ahdoot Studies Wine 1:10:03 A Janitor With a Deed 1:12:44 Bread and Sourdough Cookies 1:15:30 Where to Watch the Special

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Jeff Arcuri joins Tom Papa to talk about his Netflix special Nice to Meet You, the strange luck behind great crowd work, and the Comedy Cellar experiences that helped him trust his comedy. They get into rough tapings, online success, creative anxiety, and why a new joke landing still beats everything else.

Jeff's Netflix special NICE TO MEET YOU is out now.

Our thanks to:

Monarch! Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code PAPA at monarch.com

----------------------------------------------------------

00:00 Cold open

01:00 Jeff Arcuri joins Tom

01:30 How comedians give compliments

03:23 Making crowd work work on camera

07:20 Five unpredictable special tapings

12:37 Tom's first special

14:33 Learning to edit comedy clips

21:04 Giving every clip an arc

24:42 Keeping crowd work authentic

28:06 Success, guilt and adapting

32:19 The Cellar gave Jeff confidence

38:26 Performing high or drunk

41:04 Moving seamlessly into material

43:04 What changes after a hit special

48:38 New York versus Los Angeles

50:35 Bread and sourdough cookies

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This week we welcome Gianmarco Soresi to the table! He and Tom talk about the easy things, you know, like weddings, funerals, religion, and relationships. Laughs abound! Enjoy! Our thanks to: ASPCA Pet Insurance! Visit ⁠https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/PAPA⁠ to explore care options. Monarch! Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code PAPA at ⁠monarch.com⁠

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This week we welcome David Wain to the table! The Wet Hot American Summer Writer & Director talks with Tom about Cleveland, working with Steph Curry, and raising kids. Enjoy!

Our thanks to:

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This weekend we welcome Jenna Fischer to the pod! Jenna is author of two books. She hosts the Office Ladies Podcast along with Angela Kinsey, and she stars in the upcoming film Nimrods, in theaters August 14! We're so thrilled to have her join us at the table.

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This week we welcome Todd Glass to the table! He and Tom chat all about comedy, touring, and writing. Plus food, of course! Enjoy!

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