Adam Conover: Built a Comedy Career Without Being a Club Comic

Adam Conover: Built a Comedy Career Without Being a Club Comic

Author: Barry Katz July 23, 2026 Duration: 56:17

Adam Conover started out doing sketch comedy and stand-up before landing at CollegeHumor, where his sharp, curious style quickly stood out. That eventually led to Adam Ruins Everything, the show that put him on the map and helped carve out his unique voice, mixing comedy with a love of asking questions and challenging conventional wisdom.


Barry Katz has spent decades in the trenches as a comedy manager and producer, and in Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz, he uses that unique position to pull back the curtain on how entertainment really gets made. This isn't a theoretical discussion about Hollywood; it's a series of conversations with the actual decision-makers-the writers, directors, executives, and fellow producers who operate behind the scenes. Each episode feels like sitting in on a private lunch where these players get candid about the pivotal, often risky choices that shaped iconic projects across film, television, and digital media. The tone is conversational and grounded in real experience, offering an insider's perspective that you rarely hear presented so frankly. By focusing on the stories of creation and the hurdles cleared along the way, the podcast provides a genuine, all-access pass to the machinery of show business. You'll hear how unexpected breakthroughs happen and what it actually takes to get groundbreaking content into the world. Barry's background in comedy naturally informs the dialogue, making even complex industry tales engaging and accessible. For anyone curious about the human elements of creativity and commerce that collide in entertainment, this podcast serves as an essential guide. It’s about the practical wisdom and occasional chaos that define the industry standard, told by the people who set it.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz
Podcast Episodes
Big Jay Oakerson: A True Product of Philly & New York Comedy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:50
Big Jay Oakerson is a product of both Philadelphia and New York, two cities that shaped his voice, his comedy, and his approach to the business. A longtime fixture of the New York comedy scene, Jay came up learning first…
Nate Jackson: Crowd Work, Social Media, and Creating on Stage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:55
Nate Jackson is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and entrepreneur from Tacoma, Washington. He began performing locally before creating the Super Funny Comedy Show and eventually opening the Super Funny Comedy Club, es…
Rick Messina: Life as a Comedy Manager [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:00
Rick Messina has spent decades behind the scenes of the comedy business as a producer, manager, and talent representative, helping guide the careers of some of comedy’s most talented performers, including Tim Allen.In th…
Eddie Lfft: Managers, Comics & the Business of Comedy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:38
In this episode Industry Standard, Eddie takes us behind the scenes of the comedy business, from the complicated relationship between managers and clients to how he sees the industry as a whole. He opens up about his own…
Yakov Smirnoff: The Story Behind "What A Country!" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:56
Yakov Smirnoff came to America from the Soviet Union in 1977 with little money and limited English, determined to build a new life. He started out working as a bartender before finding his way into stand up comedy, where…
Ask Me Anything #21: Tapes, Club Residencies, Auditions, and Egos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:40
Questions answered in this episode of Ask Me Anything: What are the tells in a tape or video link that immediately signal real comic maturity to you?When a comedian earns a one-month residency by getting passed, booking…
Earthquake: From Serving His Country to Making the World Laugh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:17
Earthquake, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and radio personality known for his commanding stage presence, booming voice, and sharp observations on everyday life. Before comedy, he served in the U.S. Air Force a…