SlapStik Comedy Written By: Kaya Luckey
By now it seems like everyone is familiar with podcasts, especially considering that 135 million Americans listened to them monthly in 2024. There are around 6 million podcasts available on Spotify with countless others distributed across various streaming platforms. Podcasts are a 25-billion-dollar industry that continues to see advancements with more big-name celebrities and media corporations stepping their feet into the podcasting world. Like any genre, it has standards and conventions. Most quintessential podcasts consist of hosts gathering around a central location and casually discussing their chosen topic into a microphone. Many podcasts use this format, especially in the comedy sphere, as it’s efficient in terms of both price and studio space. When podcasting first started gaining widespread popularity in the 2010s, this format was revolutionary and shocked the media landscape because it subverted the over-polished editing style seen in traditional media. As the form has grown and progressed, this simple format has come to feel overdone and less appealing to the hardcore comedy fan. Thankfully, there are many hilarious comedians out there pushing the envelope in terms of comedy podcasting.
These podcasts also got helped from the fact they started out at a time when that format was enough to gain new eyes constantly. Podcasts are very appealing to comedians because they can still be funny without having to dig into their stand-up pockets and burn up jokes. We live in a clip economy where being able to feed any algorithm and online followers is almost the most important thing. This means that we get new comedy podcasts from funny people all the time who are breaking the mold while delivering the laughs. Let’s run through some of the best comedy podcasts that don’t fit the traditional structure while giving you all the information you need to tune in.
Title: The Matan Show
Host: Matan Even
Available On: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts
Breakdown: The Matan Show, hosted by namesake Matan Evens, is a modern day Between Two Ferns on methamphetamine. Matan looks to break his guests with super deep and off-the-walls trolling that defies all social norms. Matan’s show both upholds and subverts the traditional format as his space includes terrible chairs, desks, and background that intentionally contrasts with the over-produced set we’re used to seeing on TV. The identity of the co-host is also a joke itself as it can be a ski-masked man, a guy in Italian street wear, or a mob of people that can’t even fit in screen. Matan has a dry delivery that consists of sly roasts with a deadpan face behind it. The show expertly includes edgy and dark humor as Matan has mastered being the weirdo. Each episode is all about guests being messed with as they try to dodge and turn the curveballs back on Matan.
Key Episodes: Bryan Callen, Sam Hyde, Rampage Jackson, Adam Ray
Title: Fishing With David Lucas
Host: David Lucas
Available On: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart
Breakdown: David Lucas has been blowing up in recent years for his hard work and devastating roasting skills that force even veteran comics to keep their guard up. Cutting his teeth on the Kill Tony and Austin comedy scene, Lucas is no stronger to hurling fast-witted insults that dig deep. His larger-than-life presence translates to his podcast as he’s able to transform his usually braggadocios and brash personality into an introspective and intimate interviewer. The show can take a more serious tone as some of the guests are social commentators, which leads to important discourse on current topics. The show still keeps Lucas’s patented style of biting humor to bring levity to heavy subjects, with the episodes featuring comedians having jokes flying nonstop. This show also incorporates unconventional settings, with the host and guests ditching the studio in favor of various outdoor fishing spots. This relaxed, natural atmosphere is a key element that helps the podcast stand out .
Key Episodes: Ron White, Danny Brown, Jelly Roll, Kam Patterson
Title: Are you Garbage?
Hosts: H. Foley and Kevin Ryan
Available: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Breakdown: On the surface, this show appears to follow the standard as it consists of two co-hosts sitting down and interview guests. However, the unique hook of this show is simple but addicting as its massive growth has proven. The twist is that the hosts ask the guest a series of questions in order to determine if they are garbage or not. This creates hilarious prompts such as “Do you call ground beef ‘hamburger meat?’” “Have you or anyone in family represented themselves in court?” and “Ever use Christmas Lights as an extension cord?” These questions lead the hosts and guests to share hilarious stories that are usually self-deprecating and relatable. Hosts Foley and Ryan have a very blue-collar demeanor and style of humor as resident Philly natives. This podcast is a must catch for fans of traumatizing and demoralizing stories.
Key Episodes: Shane Gillis, Tim Dillion, Bobby Lee, Dan Soder
Title: Take Your Shoes Off
Host: Rick Glassman
Available: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts
Breakdown: This is an off-the-wall and irreverent podcast with nonstop jokes. This is one podcast where the viewer or guest can’t take their eye off the ball for one second or they’ll get smacked right in the nose. Rick Glassman is a unique comedic voice that uses extremes to leverage laughs. Glassman will play being a tough guy one second then lean into being a soft baby the next to give a zany performance, leaving you unable to predict his next move. Glassman is also a superb roaster who is unafraid to drop bombs on his guests, leaving the viewer with great moments of comedic battles. What makes this show different from the rest is its use of video production and animation. Glassman has an extensive history in the TV industry and brings that experience and level of production to his videos. Take Your Shoes Off (TYSO) often uses pre-recorded cold opens to start the episode and foreshadow funny moments to come or just give viewers a quick laugh. The show is interspersed with pre-recorded moments and animations that overlay the podcast on screen, creating interesting visuals. These moments, on top of looking cool, also add another layer of laughs not typically seen in podcasts. This, coupled with Glassman’s extremely charismatic performance style, creates a unique and ever-changing viewing experience.
Key Episodes: Bobby Lee, Bill Burr, Sal Vulcano, Adam Ray, Harland Williams
These are just a few of the many unique podcasts that are out there to fill our ears with laughter. The key to these podcasts’ success is the fact that they don’t stray too far from the standard. They just find a few components to twist and make their own, then they hit the ground running. What helps sell these podcasts are the authenticity, energy, and creativity that these hosts bring to their shows. These individuals are not Joe Rogan or Bill Burr so to try and do what those two make work wouldn’t pass for them. These podcasts discussed don’t even touch on the genre of fiction podcasts which encompass a world of their own entirely. Podcasts of this ilk are more like the staged radio shows of the past which essentially function as live audio only plays. Then there are improv podcasts where improvisers will come on as different characters each week to further a story with Mega being the most popular example of this.
No matter your flavor of audio pie, the internet holds many different offerings for you. The best thing about a more devolved podcast industry is that we as listeners get so many options. With an oversaturation of standard podcasts that are unfocused or just purely celebrity selling point there is a new horizon. With humor constantly developing, the next generation will surely be crafting even more unique and interesting podcasts that break the traditional mold.
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