Interview · moment 3 of 16
Defending Podcasts vs. Standup as Art
from An Exotic Beast · #131
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
3 minGuest
Tim pushes back hard on Zinoman's skepticism about podcasts, citing shows like Come Town and Comedy Bang Bang, while Zinoman argues popularity doesn't equal artistic merit and compares it to Howard Stern's interview skill versus his early sketch work.
- 4:05Podcasting has a low barrier to entry, leading many comics to treat shows as a duty rather than pursuing inspired content.
- 4:29Comedy podcasts like Comedy Bang Bang and Come Town are phenomenally funny and financially successful, making $60,000 a month on Patreon.
- 5:04Tim listens to far more comedy podcasts now than he did five years ago and finds them incredibly useful for discovering new comedians.
- 5:39Podcasts are clearly valid as a major form in comedy, but the real question is whether they're an art form equivalent to standup specials.
- 5:59Popularity and relevance are different from the question of whether something is actually an art form.
- 6:16The Howard Stern Show functions as an art form when done really well, with timeless skits that are undeniably hilarious.
- 6:51Howard Stern today is very different from twenty years ago—he's become great at interviewing famous people rather than creating comedy.
Howard Stern ShowHoward SternCum TownComedy Bang! Bang!NPRThe New YorkerSerial