The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table - podcast cover

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

Comedy Cellar Networkwww.comedycellar.com
For 30 years, New York's legendary Comedy Cellar has served as the launching pad for greatest stand up comedians in the world. Colin Quinn, Dave Chappelle, Ray Romano, Dave Attell, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Dane Cook, Robert Kelly and Greg Giraldo are just a few of the comedians who began as Cellar regulars. But classic stage performances have never been the only show going on at the Cellar. The biggest comedians in the world come to sit at the table upstairs, where comedians come to argue and discuss the events of the day and their lives, sharpening their their comedy knives on each other. This kibitzing (an inspiration for Comedy Central's Tough Crowd), has always been a private affair... until now. Join us for a weekly peek into the happenings at the Comedy Cellar's comedian table, where the funniest people in the world debate and discuss. Subscribe now and don't miss a second of it. We would love to hear your comments. Email them to podcast@comedycellar.com
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Episodes

Kristof’s Israel Allegations, the Danger of Circling the Wagons and More | Peter Savodnik

Peter Savodnik joins us to talk about Nicholas Kristof’s column alleging abuse of Palestinian prisoners, including the most extreme dog-rape allegation, and how pro-Israel people should respond when the reporting is weak but the underlying issue may still deserve investigation. We talk about the difference between bad journalism and false accusations, the danger of reflexively circling the wagons, Ben-Gvir and the Israeli prison system, antisemitism, double standards against Israel, whether Jews...

May 14, 20261 hr 24 min

Dr. Feroze Sidhwa on Gaza Casualties, Starvation and Political Bias

Noam Dworman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by return-guest, Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, for a wide-ranging debate about truth, propaganda, evidence, starvation and the Israel-Gaza war. The conversation focuses on John Mearsheimer’s claims about October 7, whether public intellectuals should lose credibility when they make unsupported accusations, disputed casualty reporting in Gaza and the role political bias plays in shaping what people choose to believe. Dr. Feroze Sidhwa is a general, trauma, and ...

May 08, 20262 hr 12 min

Are NGOs an Anti Israel Scam? Gerald Steinberg on Power, Politics and the UN

Noam Dworman is joined by Professor Gerald Steinberg. Steinberg breaks down the hidden world of NGOs—what they are, how they gained massive global influence and why he believes many have drifted far from their original mission. From organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to their role at the United Nations, Steinberg argues that these groups now act as powerful political players shaping narratives around conflicts like Israel–Palestine. Gerald Steinberg is founder and pr...

Apr 29, 20261 hr 10 min

Military Expert Andrew Fox: Gaza Casualties, Hamas Propaganda and the Iran War

Andrew Fox joins Live From The Table to talk about personal courage, Gaza, Hamas casualty numbers, Israel’s military strategy, Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and what modern war actually looks like. Andrew Fox is a former British Army officer (three tours in Afghanistan), now a senior fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank. Fox has been to the frontlines in Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine. He wrote the first papers worldwide exposing the Hamas fatality figures manipulation in Gaza ...

Apr 24, 20261 hr 7 min

Eliot Cohen: 3 Things the Consensus Gets Wrong About the Iran War

Separating Politics from Reality. Is the war going better than we realize?Eliot A. Cohen is a contributing writer at The Atlantic. He is a professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins University, the author of the forthcoming book The Strategist: How to Think About War and Politics, and a co-host of the Shield of the Republic podcast.

Apr 16, 202657 min

From Cranks on the Fringe to Tucker Carlson: How Ideas Go Off the Rails with Jamie Kirchick

Jamie Kirchick joins the crew for a sharp discussion on ideology, hypocrisy and why smart people can still fall for bad ideas. A wide-ranging, no-filter conversation about Iran, nuclear tensions, global risk—and the dangers of antisemitism. They discuss everyone from Tucker Carlson and Daryl Cooper to Bryon Noem. This episode addresses serious geopolitical stakes and is part political analysis, part philosophical sparring and part classic around the table repartee. Jamie Kirchick is a journalist...

Apr 15, 20261 hr 17 min

The Dangerous Rise of Conspiracy Thinking-Trump, Iran and JFK

Are conspiracies and misinformation beginning to erode the basic assumptions on which public discussion depends? Trump. Israel. JFK. Epstein. Iran. Big Pharma. What is real, and what is conspiracy? In this episode of Live from the Table, we sit down with Gerald Posner to talk about the JFK assassination, conspiracy theories, misinformation, Trump, Israel, Iran, the opioid crisis, RFK Jr. and Jeffrey Epstein. The conversation moves from the enduring debate over whether Oswald acted alone to the w...

Apr 09, 20261 hr 22 min

Walter Russell Mead: Weighing Action vs Inaction in Iran

Featuring Walter Russell Mead, this conversation dives into one of the most dangerous questions in the world right now: what happens if Iran gets the bomb—and is it already too late to stop it? From the real stakes behind the Strait of Hormuz to the risk of a global oil shock, nuclear proliferation across the Middle East, and the limits of deterrence, Mead breaks down why the situation is far more complex—and more urgent—than most people realize. The discussion explores whether war with Iran is ...

Apr 02, 20261 hr 1 min

Robert Pape: There’s No Military Solution on Iran – Only Diplomacy and “Containing” Israel

In a heated debate, Robert Pape argues that the current Iran crisis is not just about bombs, deterrence, or regime change. It is about an escalation trap. In this interview, Pape says there is no military solution to stopping Iran from eventually getting a nuclear weapon. He rejects the idea that bombing alone can topple the regime, dismisses hopes that outside pressure will trigger collapse from within, and argues that the only remaining path is diplomatic. His most controversial claim comes la...

Apr 01, 20261 hr 25 min

Iran, Nukes and the Illusion of Safety | Nuclear Weapons Expert Scott Sagan

The Table is joined by Professor Scott Sagan - leading scholar of nuclear security and international relations. Sagan explains that the biggest risk of Iran going nuclear is being missed. It's the threat of accidental explosion and even full-out nuclear war in the Middle East. In his view, this is especially true when small despotic nations get the bomb. Scary stuff.

Mar 28, 202657 min

Brute Force vs Strategy — Iraq War Veteran Phil Klay on America’s War Thinking

Philip Klay is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is an author, a journalist and winner of the National Book Award. He currently teaches fiction at Fairfield University and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New Yorker and other esteemed publications. We discuss his recent piece in The New York Times, “Trump Has Made a Fundamental Miscalculation about Iran.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/22/opinion/trump-iran-war-...

Mar 27, 20261 hr 10 min

Before Facebook Existed: The TRUE Story of the First Social Network (10M Users in 1997!)

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by social networking pioneer and entrepreneur, Andrew Weinreich. Weinreich is known for launching SixDegrees.com in 1997, which is recognized as one of the first social networking sites. He has been named #175 on the Forbes 250 list of America's Greatest Innovators.

Mar 19, 20261 hr 23 min

The Truth Behind the Groyper Panic and Immigration and Iran

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Eric Kaufmann. Kaufmann is the author of multiple books, including The Third Awokening: A 12-Point Plan for Rolling Back Progressive Extremism. He is a professor of politics at the University of Buckingham, an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute and director of the Center for Heterodox Social Science.

Mar 12, 20261 hr 8 min

Epstein, Anti-Zionism, Major Questions Doctrine and the Comedy Culture Shift.

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by bestselling author and award-winning journalist, Jesse Brown. Brown is the founder and editor of Canadaland. He won the Hillman Prize for Investigative reporting for breaking the Jian Ghomeshi scandal and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Factual Series for the television documentary Thunder Bay. He is a bestselling author and reporter and host of the podcast, What Is Happening Here.

Feb 26, 20261 hr 14 min

NYC’s Only Ethiopian-Israeli Restaurant Forced to Close Due to Antisemitism

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Beejhy Barhany. Hailed "Harlem’s queen of Ethiopian Jewish cuisine," Barhany is the owner of Tsion Cafe, the Ethiopian Jewish restaurant, where she recently ended dine-in service, due to anti-Israel harassment. She is also the author of Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond. The book has been heralded as one of the best cookbooks of 2025 by The New York Times and The Boston Globe....

Feb 20, 20261 hr 2 min

Epstein Journalist Says New Files Show No Evidence of Sex Trafficking Ring

While Noam is away, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by investigative journalist Michael Tracey to discuss the latest developments in the newly released Epstein files. Tracey asserts that the popular narrative of Jeffrey Epstein running a vast international sex trafficking ring—especially one involving “elite” clients—is not supported by credible evidence. He says that the factual record doesn’t substantiate claims of a sprawling organized network. They discuss ulterior motives, qu...

Feb 13, 20261 hr 37 min

Inside the Mind of Tucker Carlson with New Yorker Writer

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Jason Zengerle, political journalist and author of “Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind.” Jason Zengerle joined The New Yorker in 2026, as a staff writer covering politics. He previously wrote for the Times Magazine, GQ, New York, and The New Republic. He is a winner of the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting and has been a New America fellow....

Feb 06, 20261 hr 18 min

National Security Expert Explains the Disaster and Chaos of the Iraq War

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Michael Mazarr, Senior Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation, author of 10 books including Leap of Faith: Hubris, Negligence, and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy. Mazarr explains why the Iraq War was not an Israel-driven conspiracy but a catastrophic American decision born of post-9/11 panic, hubris, and bureaucratic failure. It’s a needed rebuttal to takes like Dave Smith’s, which mistake confident rhetoric for seri...

Feb 06, 20261 hr 15 min

How Dangerous are Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson?

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Jesse Arm, vice president of external affairs at the Manhattan Institute. Jesse’s writing and commentary have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, New York Post, Fox News, City Journal, NPR and more. How Dangerous are Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson? What do Zoomers think? Can you trust Chat GPT?

Jan 29, 20261 hr 35 min

Former IDF Soldier and Peace Activist says Gaza War is Fueling Anti Semitism

Noam Dworman, Hatem Gabr and Periel Aschenbrand take calls and are joined by Adar Weinreb, former IDF soldier, committed to peace building. Is Israel the most dangerous place for Jews to live? Is the war in Gaza creating more anti semitism? Weinreb is an entrepreneur and social activist focused on peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. He’s the co-founder of HeadOn.ai a platform designed to help people engage productively across polarized conflicts....

Jan 22, 20261 hr 49 min

Expert Witness in Irving Trial Debunks Holocaust Deniers. Also, ICE Shooting, Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams and

Call ins, legal and civic positions on ICE shooting and Noam's take on Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams. Guest: Professor Robert Jan Van Pelt, the principal expert witness on Nazi gas chambers in the David Irving trial, joins. Robert Jan Van Pelt is one of the world’s leading experts on Auschwitz. An architectural historian who has taught at MIT and the University of Waterloo, he is best known for proving the reality of the gas chambers and crematoria. His work made him a central figure in the fig...

Jan 15, 20262 hr 37 min

Is Anti Zionism Anti Semitism? with Adam Louis-Klein

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Adam Louis-Klein. Louis-Klein is a PhD candidate in anthropology at McGill University and has a BA in philosophy from Yale. He is a journalist for The Free Press and writes on Jewish peoplehood, antisemitism, and anti-Zionism.

Dec 19, 20251 hr 37 min

James Lindsay: How the WOKE RIGHT Is Leading Conservatism Toward Collapse

🔴 James Lindsay: How the Woke Right Is Leading Conservatism Toward Collapse In this episode, Lindsay lays out how “wokeness” has re-emerged on the right in a new form — one defined by victimhood, forbidden knowledge, conspiratorial thinking, and identity-based power claims. Using concrete examples, he explains why this mindset undermines truth-seeking, corrodes political judgment, and ultimately leads to electoral defeat. Tucker, Candace, Fuentes, Mental Illiness, anti-Semitism... All of it. AI...

Dec 14, 20251 hr 24 min

AI Expert and NYT Bestselling Author of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, Nate Soares

Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Nate Soares, President of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) and author of the New York Times bestseller If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All. Prior to MIRI, Soares worked as an engineer at Google and Microsoft, as a research associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and as a contractor for the US Department of Defense.Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Nate ...

Dec 05, 20251 hr 17 min

Resistance Psychologist Says Trump Won’t Finish His Term — "The Dementia Cliff Is Coming"

An Explosive Debate on Trump’s Brain. Dr. John Gartner, former Johns Hopkins psychiatry faculty member and a vocal critic of Donald Trump, joins Live From the Table. We challenge Gartner directly on his claims that Donald Trump is exhibiting malignant narcissism, psychopathy, and accelerating dementia. The debate spans science, politics, ethics, medical bias, and the media’s treatment of both Trump and Biden. This episode includes extended transcript-verified clips, counter-arguments, and some o...

Dec 04, 20251 hr 16 min
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