Mike Birbiglia (The New One, This American Life, Billions) competes to cheer Josh up. Mike sets the all-time Make My Day high score with his incredible performance during a game of What They Should Have Said...Was Something Else. He then donates his $100 grand prize winnings to the Food Bank For New York City. Finally, Josh and Mike give pep talks to people who love Halloween and college students. Check out The New One on Netflix, and buy the book of the same name: https://www.indiebound.org/boo...
Sep 29, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Mina Kimes (The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny, NFL Live) competes to cheer Josh up. Mina sets the all-time Make My Day high score by crushing a game of Uncuttable Gems. She then donates her $100 grand prize winnings to the West Seattle Food Bank. Finally, Mosh and Mina give pep talks to people who hate video chat and people who are worried Mina's dog dislikes them specifically. Follow Mina on Twitter and Instagram: www.twitter.com/minakimes www.instagram.com/mina_kimes Listen to The Mina Kimes...
Sep 22, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Ziwe (host of an amazing Instagram Live show, writer for Desus & Mero) competes to cheer Josh up! Ziwe sets the all-time Make My Day high score by crushing a game of Discomfort to This Comfort (which Josh probably could have come up with a better name for). She then splits her $100 grand prize winnings between the Food Bank for New York City, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and a purchase of stamps. Finally, Josh and Ziwe give pep talks for people who are slightly under the weather and people w...
Sep 15, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Scaachi Koul (host of the new podcast Not Great) competes to cheer Josh up! Scaachi sets the all-time Make My Day high score by crushing a game of You Spite Up My Life. She then donates her $100 grand prize winnings to the Lebanese Red Cross. And finally, Josh and Scaachi give pep talks for people whose enemies appear to be thriving, and to anyone having a hard time with a creative project. Subscribe to Not Great, Scaachi's new podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-great-with-scaach...
Sep 08, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Alison Leiby and Halle Kiefer (hosts of the brand new podcast Ruined) compete to cheer Josh up! Together they demystify several common fears in a game of Scare Buds, setting the all-time Make My Day high score. Both contestants decide to donate their grand prize winnings to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund. Plus, pep talks for aliens, couscous, and anyone who is worried their house might be haunted. Subscribe to Ruined, Alison and Halle's horror/comedy podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ru...
Sep 01, 2020•33 min•Ep. 20
Jill Twiss (A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, new book Everyone Gets a Say, Last Week Tonight) competes to cheer Josh up! Jill gives a masterful performance matching animals with silly names in a game of Who The Wild Things Are, setting the all-time Make My Day high score. Jill donates her $100 grand prize winnings to Alice's Kids. Plus, pep talks for theater kids and for animals who have had their names changed. Buy Jill's new children's book Everyone Gets a Say and her other books here: https...
Aug 25, 2020•29 min•Ep. 19
John Hodgman (Dicktown on FXX, The Daily Show, so many great books) competes to cheer Josh up! In the spirit of his most recent book, Medallion Status, John Hodgman sets a new all-time Make My Day high score by creating the greatest secret society ever. After a round of dominant game play, Hodgman donates his $100 grand prize to the Portland Protest Bail Fund. Plus, a pep talk (and some tough love) for people who are worried their friends don't like them anymore! Watch Dicktown on FXX and Hulu! ...
Aug 18, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Daniel Kibblesmith (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Santa's Husband) competes to cheer Josh up! To help clarify who is the guest and who is the host (because people say they look so much alike) this week's game is The Kibblesmith Identity. Daniel sets a new all-time Make My Day high score and donates his $100 grand prize to the ACLU. Plus, pep talks for guys who go bald young and teenagers who take jokes literally online. Preorder Princess Dinosaur, Daniel's new children's book: https://www....
Aug 11, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Mara Wilson (Bojack Horseman, Showbiz Kids, Where Am I Now?) competes to cheer Josh up! Mara sets an all time Make My Day high score by doing an unbelievable series of cartoon voices in a game of A Visit From The Toon Squad! She then donates her $100 grand prize to Ground Game Los Angeles, a grassroots organization in LA. Plus, pep talks for bored kids and anyone who was hoping to have a summer fling this year and was thwarted! Subscribe to Mara's newsletter: https://mara.substack.com Donate to ...
Aug 04, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Maria Sherman (author of Larger Than Life: The History of Boy Bands From NKOTB to BTS) competes to cheer Josh up! Maria creates the next big boy band during a game of Best Band Ever, setting an all time Make My Day high score! She then donates her $100 grand prize to Rogelio Hernandez's efforts to feed uhoused people in Los Angeles. Plus, pep talks for dogs who are afraid of fireworks and teachers (whether or not they are afraid of fireworks)! BUY MARIA'S BOOK: https://www.blackdogandleventhal.c...
Jul 28, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Dani Fernandez (Nerdificent Podcast, Ralph Breaks the Internet, The Great Debate (SYFY)) competes to cheer Josh up! Dani designs an incredible new convention during a game of Con Artist, setting an all time Make My Day high score! She then donates her $100 grand prize to the Homeless Black Trans Women Fund. Plus, pep talks for people who are have been resisting watching new tv shows lately and dogs who miss affection from strangers! Donate to the Homeless Black Trans Women Fund: https://bit.ly/2...
Jul 21, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Myq Kaplan (new album, A.K.A. out now!, Last Comic Standing) competes to cheer Josh up! Myq excels at a game of Better Known As where he gives better names to things, ending up with the all time Make My Day high score! His $100 grand prize winnings go to Chilis on Wheels. Plus, a pep talk for people who are not going back to their jobs as theme park mascots, and one for, well, anyone! Listen to Myq's new album A.K.A.: https://www.blondemedicine.com/store/bm008-x7scz Check out of Myq's website: h...
Jul 14, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Aparna Nancherla (Netflix Standup, Corporate, Space Force) competes to cheer Josh up! Aparna breezes through the first ever round of the game Say Yes to De-stress, setting an all time Make My Day high score! She then donates her $100 grand prize to the Black Visions Collective. Plus, pep talks for people who are nervous about the country "reopening" and for a baby bird trying to leave the nest! Donate to the Black Visions Collective: https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/ Watch Aparna's Netflix special...
Jul 07, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Oh wow! Two guests this week! Desus Nice and The Kid Mero (Desus & Mero on Showtime, Bodega Boys, God Level Knowledge Darts) compete as a team to cheer Josh up! They absolutely body a game of New York State of Rhyme in which they have to describe their ultimate late 90s hip hop album. In the end, Desus and Mero set the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 each for the World Central Kitchen and DonorsChoose. Plus, pep talks for weed dealers, porn website programmers, and hype men! Donate...
Jun 30, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 11
ESPN Senior Writer and host of the Lowe Post podcast Zach Lowe competes to cheer Josh up! Zach outlines his dream plan for owning an NBA franchise in a game of Hoop Dreams. We hear how he'd make his billion dollars and the lengths he'd go to to give his team a competitive edge. In the end, Zach sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, just like Starlee Kine did last week. Plus, pep talks for terrible pickup basketball players and parents of only-ch...
Jun 23, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Writer and podcaster Starlee Kine (Search Party, Mystery Show, Election Profit Makers, This American Life) competes to cheer Josh up! Starlee brings an air of suspense and intrigue to a game of Building a Mystery. There's a weirdly long tangent about the movie Quick Change. In the end, Starlee sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Plus, pep talks for masks and window mounted air conditioner units! Donate to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund: https://...
Jun 16, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Bestselling author Shea Serrano (Where Do You Think We Are?, Movies and Other Things, The Ringer) competes to cheer Josh up! Shea absolutely dominates a game of Giving Ends to My Friends and It Feels Stupendous. Oscar Isaac may have come up once or twice. In the end, Shea sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for the Minnesota Freedom fund. Plus, an all time great pep talk from Shea! Get Shea's new PDF of essays about Scrubs: https://gumroad.com/l/ySrff Read Shea's work at The R...
Jun 09, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Actor and comedian Jon Gabrus (High and Mighty, Action Boyz, Brooklyn 99) competes to cheer Josh up! Gabrus plays an incredible round of the confusingly-named but very fun game Call You By My Name. In a thrilling conclusion, Gabrus sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for the Last Prisoner Project. Plus, pep talks for beach bums and insomniacs! Make your own donation to the Last Prisoner Project here: https://www.lastprisonerproject.org Follow Gabrus on Twitter and Instagram: w...
Jun 02, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Actor and comedian Andy Daly competes to cheer Josh up. Andy plays an incredible round of The All-Stars Game (accidentally also called The All-Star Game), where he gives 5-star reviews to people, things, and ideas. In a thrilling conclusion, Andy sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for Give Directly. Plus, pep talks for people who just started jogging and people who are bad at cooking! Make your own donation to Give Directly here: https://www.givedirectly.org Follow Andy on Tw...
May 26, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Comedian and Late Night with Seth Meyers writer Karen Chee competes to cheer Josh up. As a single person/expert on crushes, Karen absolutely dominates a round of the new game Platonic Ideals, Romantic Appeals. Karen sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for Meals on Wheels. Plus, pep talks for the high school class of 2020 and...bugs! Make your own donation to Meals on Wheels here: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org Follow Karen on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/karencheee ...
May 19, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Comedian, actor, and Doug Loves Movies host Doug Benson competes to cheer Josh up. He absolutely crushes a round of What Could Be Better: Movie Edition. Josh and Doug talk about very talented dogs, the ideal heist crew, and more. Doug sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for Smile Train. Plus, Pep Talks for belts and socks! Make your own donation to Smile Train here: https://www.smiletrain.org Visit Doug's website here: http://douglovesmovies.com Watch a video of Jumpy the dog ...
May 12, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Comedian, actor, and author Todd Barry competes to cheer Josh up. Todd, star of numerous hour comedy specials, rises to the challenge of helping Josh schedule special hours throughout the year. Josh and Todd discuss the best time to leave a party on New Year's Eve and how to talk to celebrities (among other things). Todd sets the Make My Day all time high score with 91 points and wins $100 for God's Love We Deliver. Make your own donation to GLWD here: https://www.glwd.org Visit Todd's website h...
May 05, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Miel Bredouw, comedian and host of the podcast Punch Up The Jam competes to cheer Josh up. Josh asks Miel to design her ideal music festival, which she does, excellently. Miel sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for the Food Bank for New York City. To make a donation of your own to the Food Bank for New York City, click here: https://www.foodbanknyc.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 28, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Akilah Hughes, author and co-host of the Crooked Media podcast What A Day competes to cheer Josh up. Akilah and Josh talk 90s r&b, red pandas, and the crossover film event of a lifetime. Akilah sets the Make My Day all time high score and wins $100 for Lighthouse Youth & Family Services in Cincinnati. Make your own donation to Akilah's cause of choice here: https://www.lys.org/about-us/ Buy Akilah's book, Obviously, here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/531147/obviously-by-akilah-hughes...
Apr 21, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Make My Day with Josh Gondelman is a pop culture and politics game show where comedians compete to put a positive spin on the news and cheer up host Josh Gondelman. Described as a "pathological sweetheart" by the New York Observer, host Josh Gondelman is here to try and cushion the blow when news breaks. Some shows help people understand the news, but even when you know what's going on it, it's still largely terrible. Make My Day just tries to make the headlines feel a little less bleak. Learn m...
Apr 13, 2020•3 min
