Share
The Last Laugh
Julia Louis-Dreyfus on SNL, ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Veep’ and More
If there’s anyone in Hollywood who might be immune to criticism, it’s 11-time Emmy-winner and Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But as the comedy legend admits in this episode, the rare negative comment about her work still “stings.” That feeling is at the heart of Louis-Dreyfus’ latest film ‘You Hurt My Feelings,’ in which she delivers the most emotionally raw performance of her career. During our conversation, the actress reflects on her early struggles as a cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the catharsis of returning as host. She also reveals what she really thought about the divisive ‘Seinfeld’ finale 25 years later, breaks down the difference between ‘Veep’s’ Selina Meyer and her own “narcissistic” father and a lot more.
This episode was originally published on May 16th, 2023.
Follow Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Twitter @OfficialJLD and Instagram @officialjld
Follow Matt Wilstein on Threads @mattwilstein
Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod
Highlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast
More episodes
View all episodes
272. James Adomian: Impersonating Elon, Bernie, Mike Lindell and More
50:52||Ep. 272There are few comedians more ready to take on the insane cast of characters that will surround Donald Trump in his second term than James Adomian. The 44-year-old comedian has made a name for himself over the past two decades for his spot-on impressions of political characters like Elon Musk, Jesse Ventura, and the MyPillow guy Mike Lindell. In this episode, Adomian talks about channeling some of his many voices into his first-ever hour-long stand-up special ‘Path of Most Resistance’ on YouTube (after all the major streamers turned him down). He also talks about why he never ended up on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ getting two big breaks from late-night hosts Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Kimmel, and what it was like to finally do his Bernie Sanders impression to Bernie Sanders’ face. Watch James Adomian’s ‘Path of Most Resistance’ on YouTubeFollow James Adomian on Instagram @jadomian Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast271. Roy Wood Jr. Returns: ‘Daily Show,’ CNN, and ‘Lonely Flowers’
49:49||Ep. 271It’s been more than a year since Roy Wood Jr. left ‘The Daily Show’ and he’s not looking back. This week, the comedian is dropping what is arguably his best stand-up special yet on Hulu and next month will see the second season premiere of his CNN comedy quiz show ‘Have I Got News for You.’ In his return to the podcast, Wood discusses why he wanted to make his yearning for connection the central theme of his new hour, ‘Lonely Flowers.’ He also opens up about his decision to leave ‘The Daily Show’ behind before Comedy Central brought back Jon Stewart and elevated his former correspondent colleagues to become rotating hosts—as well as what it’s been like to bring some much needed humor to CNN in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s re-election. Follow Roy Wood Jr. on Instagram @roywoodjr Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast270. Stephanie Hsu: ‘Laid,’ ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ and More
46:44||Ep. 270Stephanie Hsu broke through—and landed her first Oscar nomination—three years ago in Best Picture winner ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ That film had some oddball laughs for sure, but if you had only seen her in the dual roles of the diminutive Joy Wang and villainous Jobu Tupaki, you would have no idea she was capable of playing a classic rom-com lead like she does in the new Peacock series ‘Laid.’ In this episode, Hsu talks about how a background in comedy helped prepare her to portray a deeply flawed character who discovers that all of the men she has slept with are dying and why getting cast in the show felt like a “huge step” in the fight for representation on TV. She also gets into the wild journey from her audition for ‘Everything Everywhere’ to the Oscars, explains why she turned down the chance to possibly play Glinda in John M. Chu’s ‘Wicked,’ and teases her upcoming buddy comedy with ‘Abbott Elementary’s’ Quinta Brunson.Follow Stephanie Hsu on Instagram @stephaniehsuofficial Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast269. Jim Gaffigan Returns: SNL, Trump, ‘The Skinny’ and More
55:44||Ep. 269Jim Gaffigan is heading into 2025 an even bigger comedy star than he was before—thanks to a guest-starring gig on ‘Saturday Night Live’ as vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, a headlining spot alongside Donald Trump at the Al Smith dinner, his latest stand-up special ‘The Skinny’ (which delves into the secret behind his massive weight loss) and a big national tour with Jerry Seinfeld. In his return to the podcast after more than five years, Gaffigan goes deep on the state of his career and how his approach to stand-up has evolved over time. He talks about being in the room with Trump and Kamala Harris at key points during their campaigns and reflects on his decision to risk his clean comedy brand by unleashing a profanity-laced tirade against Trump during the previous election. Follow Jim Gaffigan on Instagram @jimgaffigan Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily BeastBridget Everett on ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ Amy Schumer and More
48:05|With her raucous cabaret act, Bridget Everett has never been shy about putting all of herself out there for audiences to enjoy. But in her semi-autobiographical HBO series ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ which just wrapped up its third and final season, she is laying herself bare emotionally on a whole new level. In this episode, Everett opens up about the real life trauma that helped inform her revelatory performance, what she learned about being “relatable” from a previous pilot that didn’t get picked up and shares what it was like to get back on stage for the first time in two years. She also shares hilarious stories about getting cast in the ‘Sex and the City’ movie, meeting her friend Amy Schumer for the first time and getting in the middle of an epic feud between Jerry Seinfeld and Bobcat Goldthwait. This episode was originally published on February 8, 2022.Follow Bridget Everett on Instagram @bridgeteverettFollow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily BeastJoe Rogan, Stephen Colbert, SNL, and More With The New Abnormal
32:12|Once again, the time has come for our annual, year-end crossover episode in which Matt Wilstein joins The New Abnormal host Andy Levy to talk about the year in political comedy from the comedy podcasters like Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Andrew Schulz who helped win Trump the 2024 election, to Kamala Harris’ decidedly safer appearances on Call Her Daddy and SNL, to the unfortunate decline of “resistance” late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert heading into Trump’s second term. Plus, the one comedian who could serve as the perfect “anti-Joe Rogan.” Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast268. Ronny Chieng Returns: ‘Daily Show’ and New Netflix Special ‘Love to Hate It’
46:29||Ep. 268When Trevor Noah stepped down as host of ‘The Daily Show’ a couple of years ago, it didn’t even occur to Ronny Chieng that he could be capable of taking over that seat. But now that he’s been sitting in as guest-host as part of a rotating group of correspondents he finally feels like he deserves to be there. “I think I get how to do it,” he says. “And I’ve done it like 20 times now, so it’s definitely possible for me to do it.” In his return to the podcast, Chieng discusses the process of putting together his third stand-up special for Netflix, ‘Love to Hate It,’ which includes material about possibly becoming a father, how the internet is destroying male brains, and making “MAGA friends” in Hawaii. He also talks about grabbing the “fearless mantle” from heroes like Jon Stewart, being the first late-night host to joke about the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting, and how he thinks ‘The Daily Show’ will evolve when Donald Trump takes back the White House in 2025. Follow Ronny Chieng on Instagram @ronnychieng Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast267. Joe Mande: ‘Hacks,’ ‘Parks and Rec’ and New Hulu Special ‘Chill’
50:30||Ep. 267Over the course of his nearly 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Joe Mande has developed an uncanny ability to accurately forecast the utter stupidity of American culture. That unique skill led his friend John Mulaney to suggest that he’s more prepared for a second Donald Trump presidency than anyone else they know. In this episode, Mande discusses his latest stand-up special ‘Chill,’ which premieres on Hulu this Friday, December 13 and was recorded before the 2024 election but includes some eerie predictions about how the country might change over the next four years. He also talks about his time in the trenches of the writers rooms for ‘Parks and Rec,’ ‘The Good Place,’ and ‘Hacks,’ on which he appears as Ray the Las Vegas hotel clerk who at least some fans want to see end up with Hannah Einbinder’s Ava. Mande isn’t ready to predict that outcome quite yet, but he definitely wants it to happen. “Hannah and I have talked about this at length and it just does feel like the natural conclusion to both of our stories,” he says. “We call it hashtag #Rayva, and we need to get this going.” Follow Joe Mande on Instagram @joemande Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily BeastJim Gaffigan on Donald Trump’s Unorthodox Comedic Style
28:05|The Last Laugh listeners, please enjoy this excerpt from the latest episode of The Daily Beast's new podcast! Comedian Jim Gaffigan reflects on the surreal experience of performing at the Al Smith Dinner, describing Donald Trump’s unorthodox comedic style as “performing on his heels” and surprisingly “killing the entire time.” Gaffigan also jokes about parenting his five kids: “Every Monday morning is kind of a surprise for them. Like, ’What? There’s school?’”Subscribe now to The Daily Beast Podcast