Episode 26 | Steve Kaplan

Episode 26 | Steve Kaplan

Author: Scott Dikkers April 24, 2017 Duration: 1:04:10

Scott talks comedy nuts and bolts with Steve Kaplan, Hollywood's most sought-after comedy teacher.


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 39 | Jen Kirkman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:00
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.
Episode 38 | Matt Braunger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:08
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.
Episode 37 | Liana Spiro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:58
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.
Episode 36 | How to write satire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:03
Scott walks through the specific steps for writing a satirical article, essay, stand-up bit, or sketch.
Episode 35 | Ryan Creamer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:00
Scott asks Ryan Creamer how he became the hot new thing in comedy by doing hilariously wholesome videos on Pornhub.
Episode 34 | Merrill Markoe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:48
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)…
Episode 33 | How to Write a Joke [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:22
Host Scott Dikkers goes through the process of how to come up with a funny line and write a joke from scratch, illustrating the "How to Write Funny" system for joke creation. Get the cheatsheet at www.howtowritefunny.com…
Episode 32 | Levni Yilmaz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:34
Lev talks about how he found success doing the animated "Tales of Mere Existence" series on YouTube, which has racked up millions of views.
Episode 31| Three Fundamentals of Comedy Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:20
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.
Episode 30 | Tim Clue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:00
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.