Episode 10 | Anna Lefler

Episode 10 | Anna Lefler

Author: Scott Dikkers August 10, 2015 Duration: 1:00:43

Scott talks with Anna Lefler, a humor author who got started as a Mommy blogger. Her first comic novel, Preschooled, comes out this fall. Her previous book was The Chicktionary: From A-Line to Z-Snap, The Words Every Woman Should Know. She's also written and performed for the Nickelodeon/NickMom TV show Parental Discretion with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, and is a three-time faculty member of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop


Ever wonder how the people who make you laugh actually do it? How To Write Funny pulls back the curtain on the craft, hosted by Scott Dikkers. As the founder of TheOnion.com and its longtime editor-in-chief, Scott has spent decades at the heart of satirical writing. In this podcast, he sits down with a range of voices from the comedy world-celebrated performers, seasoned writers, and behind-the-scenes creators-for conversations that go much deeper than just trading jokes. Each episode explores the guest’s unique path into comedy, the principles that guide their work, and the often messy, personal process of generating humor. You’ll hear about the doubts, the breakthroughs, and the specific techniques used to turn an idea into something that genuinely connects with an audience. It’s less a formal tutorial and more a series of revealing workshops, offering a rare look at the discipline and thought hiding behind the punchlines. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a comedy fan, or just curious about the mechanics of what makes something funny, this podcast provides a sustained, insightful listen into an art form that is often taken for granted.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

How To Write Funny
Podcast Episodes
Episode 8 | Julia Sweeney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:50
Scott talks with Julia Sweeney, who became famous for her performance as "Pat" on SNL. She later became a humor author, speaker, and producer and star of the one-woman show Letting Go of God.
Episode 7 | Adam Resnick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:56
Scott talks with Adam Resnick, co-creator of the Fox TV series Get a Life, staff writer for Late NIght with David Letterman, writer-director of Cabin Boy, and author of Will Not Attend.
Episode 6 | Andrew Daly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:11
Andrew Daly patches in remotely to talk with Scott about his prolific career in improv, stand-up, writing, and acting. The star and executive producer of Comedy Central's Review, Andrew has appeared in a number of other…
Episode 5 | Weird Al Yankovic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:15
Scott sits down with parody-music superstar Weird Al Yankovic, who is, believe it or not, the top-selling comedy recording artist of all time.
Episode 4 | Kelly Leonard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:06
Scott talks with Kelly Leonard, who runs Chicago's Second City. He recently wrote (with Tom Yorton) Yes And, a book outlining the practical applications of The Second City's core comedy philosophy.
Episode 3 | Ellie Kemper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:56
Scott talks with Ellie Kemper, star of Tina Fey's Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, who also played Erin on The Office and Becca in Bridesmaids.
Episode 2 | Ben Bailey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:20
Scott chats with Ben Bailey, stand-up comedian and Emmy-winning host of Cash Cab.
Episode 1 | David Javerbaum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:24
Scott talks with multiple-Emmy-winning comedy writer David Javerbaum about his work on The Daily Show, America: The Book, and his insanely popular twitter feed, @TheTweetOfGod, based on his book, The Last Testament: A Me…