Episode 49 | Dan Povenmire
Writer, director, cartoonist, and voice artist Dan Povenmire talks about his adventures in Hollywood creating the enormously successful Phineas and Ferb for Disney.
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 3 min
How To Write Funny
Scott Dikkers, founder of TheOnion.com and The Onion's editor-in-chief for most of the last 25 years, interviews celebrities, writers, and other people in the comedy industry about their background, philosophy and process.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
Episode 48 | Alex Stevenson
Cartoonist and writer Alex Stevenson talks about developing her web comic “Cartoons Hate Her” on social media, pushing boundaries, and building a fanbase.
Mar 13, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 48
Episode 47 | JaMarr John Johnson
“Entrepremedian” JaMarr John Johnson talks with Scott about how comedians can exploit Web3 and Crypto to make more money, starting by helping Scott create his “Jim Key” to turn fans into owners.
May 07, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 47
Episode 46 | Sean Tejaratchi
LiartownUSA.com is the Internet’s funniest, most original, and most undiscovered treasure. Scott chats with its creator, Sean Tejaratchi, to find out where it came from and how it can be so funny.
Sep 19, 2021•58 min
Episode 45 | Justine Bateman
Actress, writer, and director Justine Bateman talks about fame, being on the top sitcom in the country, getting older in show business, and why it’s important to take comedy seriously.
May 20, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 45
Episode 44 | Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt is an Emmy- and Grammy-winning comedian and actor known for insightful comedy specials and roles in hit TV shows and movies like The King of Queens, Ratatouille, and the new M.O.D.O.K. on Hulu.
Mar 03, 2021•56 min•Ep. 44
Episode 43 | Mike Sacks
Mike Sacks is the bestselling author of Stinker Lets Loose, Passable in Pink, and the excellent comedy-writer interview books Here’s the Kicker and Poking a Dead Frog.
Sep 17, 2020•58 min•Ep. 43
Episode 42 | Anne Libera
Founder of the Comedy Studies program at Columbia College and comedy professor Anne Libera talks comedy history, comedy theory, and why it all matters.
Jul 24, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 42
Episode 41 | Michael Gerber
Michael Gerber talks about his hard-won career in comedy writing for TV, writing parody novels, and finally editing and publishing The American Bystander magazine.
May 22, 2020•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 41
Episode 40 | Margaret Cho
Veteran stand-up comic, writer and actress Margaret Cho talks about getting started in the 80s comedy boom, her TV show, and her thoughts on writing and performing stand-up.
Apr 30, 2020•47 min•Ep. 40
Episode 39 | Jen Kirkman
Stand-up comic, TV writer and actress Jen Kirkman talks about her comedy, social media, pitching TV shows, and how to weather the ups and downs of the business.
Mar 25, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 39
Episode 38 | Matt Braunger
Scott talks with veteran stand-up comedian and comic actor Matt Braunger about getting started, making it in stand-up, and making it in acting.
Feb 04, 2020•54 min•Ep. 38
Episode 37 | Liana Spiro
Scott talks with Harvard Lampoon President about the nation's oldest college humor magazine's humor, pranks, and castle, and how to lead a band of misfit comedy writers.
Dec 06, 2019•51 min•Ep. 37
Episode 36 | How to write satire
Scott walks through the specific steps for writing a satirical article, essay, stand-up bit, or sketch.
Aug 01, 2019•51 min•Ep. 36
Episode 35 | Ryan Creamer
Scott asks Ryan Creamer how he became the hot new thing in comedy by doing hilariously wholesome videos on Pornhub.
Jul 09, 2019•48 min•Ep. 35
Episode 34 | Merrill Markoe
Scott chats with multi-Emmy-winning comedy writer and performer Merrill Markoe about breaking into TV writing, her years working with David Letterman as he was coming up, and her audiobook (co-written with Megan Koester), "The Indignities of Being a Woman."
May 15, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 34
Episode 33 | How to Write a Joke
This episode breaks down the craft of joke writing, revealing that it's a learnable process, not magic. Host Scott Dikkers demonstrates how to identify a universal opinion, define a modern joke, and then apply 11 specific "funny filters"—like irony, character, and hyperbole—to generate comedic lines. The episode also emphasizes the importance of volume in creation, developing a comic persona, and testing material to refine jokes.
Apr 20, 2019•44 min•Ep. 33
Episode 32 | Levni Yilmaz
Lev talks about how he found success doing the animated "Tales of Mere Existence" series on YouTube, which has racked up millions of views.
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 32
Episode 31| Three Fundamentals of Comedy Writing
Scott talks about three fundamentals of successful comedy writing and how to go after them: (1) writing 10 funny ideas every day, (2) overcoming writer's block, and (3) avoiding clichés.
Mar 16, 2019•34 min•Ep. 31
Episode 30 | Tim Clue
Tim Clue joins Scott to discuss the craft of stand-up comedy, how to improve it, make money at it, and get better at it quickly.
Feb 27, 2019•55 min•Ep. 30
Episode 29 | Caitlin Kunkel
Guest Caitlin Kunkel talks about her road to success writing humor for McSweeney's and The New Yorker, as well as landing her first book deal. She and Scott discuss the mindset and discipline of making a writing career.
Dec 31, 2018•47 min•Ep. 29
Episode 28 | Christopher Titus
Scott talks with stand-up comedian Christopher Titus about his comic persona, performing and writing on stage, creating his Fox TV show "Titus," and his feature film, "Special Unit."
Nov 19, 2018•48 min•Ep. 28
Episode 27 | Kurt Luchs
Kurt Luchs, founder and editor of The Big Jewel, talks with Scott about his unusual and varied comedy career. Kurt’s new book , “It’s Funny Until Someone Loses an Eye (Then It's Really Funny),” just hit bookstores.
Nov 07, 2017•56 min•Ep. 27
Episode 26 | Steve Kaplan
Scott talks comedy nuts and bolts with Steve Kaplan, Hollywood's most sought-after comedy teacher.
Apr 24, 2017•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 26
Episode 25 | Lee Camp
Political comedian and activist Lee Camp sits down with Scott to talk comedy, activism, and creating his weekly political comedy TV show, "Redacted Tonight."
Dec 15, 2016•51 min•Ep. 25
Episode 24 | Kevin Avery
Scott talks with Emmy-winning writer Kevin Avery. Kevin is a successful bay-area stand-up comic who got into TV writing with his friend and writing-partner W. Kamau Bell. He joined the original staff of John Oliver's show before its debut in 2014.
Nov 10, 2016•56 min•Ep. 24
Episode 23 | Sarah Cooper
Scott talks with Sarah Cooper, founder of The Cooper Review, who parlayed a viral humor article into a 3-book deal. Her first book, 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings , comes out this week.
Oct 05, 2016•45 min•Ep. 23
Episode 22 | Seth Reiss
Late Night with Seth Meyers staffer and former Onion head writer Seth Reiss talks with Scott about his humor-writing process, mindset, and how he landed the best internships in comedy.
Sep 01, 2016•59 min•Ep. 22
Episode 21 | Dave Eggers
Scott talks with Dave Eggers, founder of McSweeney's, Might magazine, and 826 National, the non-profit with the cool storefronts that tutors kids and encourages them to write. His latest novel is "Heroes of the Frontier," which comes out today.
Jul 26, 2016•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 21
Episode 20 | Matt Abramson
Matt Abramson’s company Cap Gun produced a funny web series called Teachers, which is now a series on TV Land. Scott spoke to Matt when the show was just a pilot. They talk about how to build success with a web series, and how ties with advertisers can be a help or a hinderance.
Jun 27, 2016•55 min•Ep. 20
Hosted on Libsyn
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android