Showing results by author "Eugene Mirman" in All Categories

[Contains explicit content] David Cross (Mr. Show, Arrested Development) is a pillar of the comedy world, but even a man who is known for acerbic, often political standup and metatextual, intricate sketch writing can still have a soft spot for a good old-fashioned prank. Eugene Mirman brought David onstage at the NYC Podfest to revisit the impromptu execution of that practical joke and ask him questions about how it all played out. Live from New York it's Hold On with Eugene Mirman!

[Contains explicit content] A live audience at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal was privileged with a very special live version of Eugene Mirman's comedic storytelling (and story explaining) show, Hold On, but we're not going to let them hoard that wonderful experience. Here's a live story told by the hilarious Aparna Nancherla about dating woes in the era of social media, plus all the probing questions and asides from your inquisitive host Eugene.

[Contains explicit content] If you tell a performer like Mary Lynn Rajskub to "hold that thought" while they're telling a funny story, you might get kicked out of the show you're attending. Not so if you're Eugene Mirman holding up Mary Lynn's hilarious live story. He didn't get kicked out of the Just for Laughs Montreal recording of Hold On with Eugene Mirman — in fact, he was allowed to ask as many questions as he wanted about Mary Lynn's unintentional brush with the oldest profession.

[Contains explicit content] Janeane Garofalo (Wet Hot American Summer, Ratatouille) joined Eugene Mirman onstage in San Francisco for a live edition of Hold On, and now you get to hear her story and the questions it raised! Janeane recounts how rambling became a hobby and how her impromptu excursions have helped her reflect on what she wants in life.

Dana Gould (Stan Against Evil, The Simpsons) is a comedian of note, sometimes credited as the progenitor of alternative comedy, but anyone who has heard his act or his podcast, knows that he's big into horror and sci-fi movies.

[Contains explicit content] In 2016, intrepid comedian Eugene Mirman had the audacity to put Montreal's Just For Laughs Festival on hold so he could bring comedians onstage to tell funny stories and answer funny questions. One such comedian was the prolific stand-up comic, writer, and ironic re-tweeter, Joe Mande (Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, Kroll Show), whose story of gaming Twitter gets scrutinized on this live episode of Hold On with Eugene Mirman.

Kelly Oxford (author of Everything is Perfect When You're a Liar and When You Find Out the World Is Against You) is a Canadian expat who now lives and works in LA, but the first time she visited the City of Angels was on a very specific quest.

Horatio Sanz is an important figure in the Chicago comedy scene. The Chicago neighborhood that teenage Horatio would frequent with his friends also happened to be home to a few unsavory characters, one of whom may have improvised a little vigilante justice and a lot of arson.

[Contains explicit content] You might think it's in the job description for political comedians like John Fugelsang to take powerful politicians down a peg or two, but during the 2012 election, John learned it's not always the best idea to ask the tough questions. Host Eugene Mirman finds out how the struggling new father made his mark on the Romney-Obama presidential race and what it did to his career, as the two dig into John's story on this politically-charged episode of Hold On with Eugene Mirman.

[Contains explicit content] Jean Grae is a rapper, actress, and comedian who is probably the only living person that can boast that she's guested on tracks with Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli, Wale, and Lil B, and has shared the stage with John Hodgman. Her eclectic career has taken her to many strange places, which means she has some stellar stories like the one about a crazy ride home that she shares in this live episode of Hold On at NYC PodFest.

[Contains explicit content] Nick Thune doesn't go looking for fights, but fights seem to find him anyway. When they do, though, it's his inability to let some things slide that causes his momentary anger to boil over into small acts of passive-aggression: snarky rejoinders, anonymous notes, and the occasional sarcastic email. Find out which option Nick chose when confronted with an unprofessional doctor in his story live at SF Sketchfest for Porchlight, A Storytelling Series.

Curious host Eugene shared his questions about Mike's coming-of-age tale to find out how the former poet came to be a comic.

Dave Hill (author of Tasteful Nudes and Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore, host of The Goddamn Dave Hill Show on WFMU) could probably shred a little death metal if you asked him, but that doesn't make him an expert on death.

Matt Bellassai (author of Everything Is Awful, Buzzfeed's Whine About It) is an internet wunderkind now bursting into old media with his book.

[Contains explicit content] Storytelling can bring together people from many different cultures and, at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, it brought together Eugene Mirman and Gad Elmaleh for a special live recording of Hold On. Montreal was a fitting place to hear the tale of Gad's transition from the French tradition of live comedy to a more casual North American stand-up style. It's also fitting that Eugene was on hand to casually interject with thoughtful and funny questions.

[Contains explicit content] Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live, Sasheer Zamata Party Time) went to a Christian elementary school where discipline-by-paddle was a looming threat for ill-behaved students. Reflecting upon the inconsistencies of parochial punishment from an adult's perspective, Sasheer found a lot to question about how and why paddlings were meted out, as you can hear in the story she told for RISK!

[Contains explicit content] Reggie Watts (The Late Late Show) is a comedic genius and musical mastermind, but he’s not a rude dude. Stopping a person telling a story is a rude dude thing to do...unless they're a guest on an episode of Hold On and you happen to be a master story-disrupter, like Eugene Mirman. In this excellent episode of his storytelling series, Eugene cuts into Reggie's thrilling tale of mushrooms and bathrooms to politely prod for more detail.

[Contains explicit content] Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show, People of Earth, and Seeso's Night Train with Wyatt Cenac) found an interesting application of the scientific method while volunteering at a science museum: a drunk-driving simulator. Eugene Mirman had Wyatt call a cab to the Hold On studios to talk all the theories and hypotheses his unique experiments in virtual recklessness yielded. Drink a few digital beers and hit the road with Wyatt and Eugene in this very educational episode of Hold On.

[Contains explicit content] Comedian Kurt Braunohler (IFC's Bunk, Audible's Wedlock) once found enlightenment in the oddest of places: an Apple store bathroom. There, the seeds of inspiration were planted in his mind and he decided to take an unconventional break from his (then) long-term relationship. Eugene Mirman sat Kurt down to hear how that unusual plant went and to ask a few burning questions.

[Contains explicit content] Moving back in with your parents is rarely a sign that your life is going in the right direction. On this episode of Hold On, host Eugene Mirman sits down with comedian Matt Braunger to hear a funny, but cautionary tale about a pivotal time in Matt's life. Hear why he was forced to live with his folks and what it meant for his relationship with them and his stand-up comedy career.