Inside Comedy

Inside Comedy
Created by David Steinberg
Presented by David Steinberg
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 30
Production
Executive producer(s) David Steinberg
Steve Carell
Vance DeGeneres
Charlie Hartsock
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Carousel Productions
Sunset Point Productions
Showtime Networks
Broadcast
Original channel Showtime
Picture format 1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Original run January 26, 2012 – present
External links
Website

Inside Comedy is an American television interview program hosted and directed by David Steinberg. During each episode, Steinberg interviews a number of popular comedians from the worlds of stand-up, television, and film. Its first season ran from January to March 2012, and its second season premiered on February 11, 2013.[1] The show's third season, which premiered on February 3, 2014.[2]

A six-episode fourth season will premiere on May 5, 2015.[3]

Production

Inside Comedy was initially intended as a feature-length documentary to be produced by interviewer David Steinberg and producer Steve Carell.[4] Steinberg and Carell's company, Carousel Productions, raised several million dollars and began filming interviews.[4] After it was decided that too much footage was shot for one film, the project was picked up as a television series by the Showtime network.[4]

Episodes

Season Episodes Season premiere Season finale
1 10 January 26, 2012 March 30, 2012
2 10 February 11, 2013 April 15, 2013
3 10 February 3, 2014 April 7, 2014
4 6[3] May 5, 2015[3] TBA

Season 1 (2012)

Inside Comedy season 1 episodes
No. # Guest(s) Original air date
11Don Rickles & Jerry SeinfeldJanuary 26, 2012
22Chris RockFebruary 2, 2012
33Steve Carell & Jane LynchFebruary 9, 2012
44Billy Crystal, Martin Short, & Brad GarrettFebruary 16, 2012
55Larry DavidFebruary 23, 2012
66Sarah Silverman & Garry ShandlingMarch 2, 2012
77Mel Brooks & Carl ReinerMarch 9, 2012
88Ellen DeGeneres & Tim ConwayMarch 16, 2012
99Kathy Griffin & Steven WrightMarch 23, 2012
1010Robin Williams & Jonathan WintersMarch 30, 2012

Season 2 (2013)

Inside Comedy season 2 episodes
No. # Guest(s) Original air date
111Louis C.K. & Bob NewhartFebruary 11, 2013
122Judd Apatow & Tina FeyFebruary 18, 2013
133Drew Carey & Martin MullFebruary 25, 2013
144Steve Martin & Lily TomlinMarch 4, 2013
155Jim Carrey & Keenen Ivory WayansMarch 11, 2013
166Will Ferrell & Betty WhiteMarch 18, 2013
177Susie Essman & Carol BurnettMarch 25, 2013
188Ben Stiller & Mike MyersApril 1, 2013
199Robert Klein & Bill MaherApril 8, 2013
2010Robert SchimmelApril 15, 2013

Season 3 (2014)

Inside Comedy season 3 episodes
No. # Guest(s) Original air date
211Jimmy Fallon & Zach GalifianakisFebruary 3, 2014
222Alan Arkin & Jonah HillFebruary 10, 2014
233Bette Midler & Richard BelzerFebruary 17, 2014
244Andrew Dice Clay & Kevin NealonFebruary 24, 2014
255Bob Einstein & Eric IdleMarch 3, 2014
266Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Dick Van DykeMarch 10, 2014
277Gary Marshall, Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan PeeleMarch 17, 2014
288Richard Lewis & Gilbert GottfriedMarch 24, 2014
299Fred Willard & Catherine O'HaraMarch 31, 2014
3010Kevin Pollak, Bob Saget, & Larry MillerApril 7, 2014

Season 4 (2015)

Upcoming guests include Dan Aykroyd, Cheech & Chong, Stephen Colbert, Dane Cook, Bryan Cranston, Ted Danson, Michael Keaton, Carol Leifer, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Wanda Sykes, and Jeffrey Tambor.[3]

Steinberg has also filmed interviews with Stephen Fry, Bonnie Hunt, David Koechner, Jon Lovitz, Kathy Najimy, Paula Poundstone, and Tommy Smothers.[5]

Inside Comedy season 4 episodes
No. # Guest(s) Original air date
311May 5, 2015[3]

Reception

The show's first season garnered generally positive reviews from critics. Nancy deWolf Smith of The Wall Street Journal praised Steinberg for his interviewing: "He does not focus on himself but is exquisitely tuned in to his subjects, many of whom he knows well. This seems to have relaxed some of his guests to the point where they appear more natural, and less switched on—as entertaining as that can be—than they are with other interviewers."[6] Eric Gould of The Phoenix commented that "Steinberg's sly, understated style gave us a brilliant glimpse into comedy minds put on the spot, and artists at the top of the heap."[7]

Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times applauded the editing exhibited in the show's premiere episode: "Mr. Seinfeld and Mr. Rickles are interviewed separately, and what makes the episode so satisfying is the way their interviews are spliced together and enhanced with clips."[8]

At the outset of the show's second season, Don Steinberg of The Wall Street Journal commended the host's talent for interviewing: "Mr. Steinberg has an easy rapport with subjects. He stays out of their way as they jump to the good stuff, the things you imagine comedy people talk to other comedy people about."[4]

References

  1. Ng, Philiana (December 5, 2012). "Showtime's 'Inside Comedy' Sets February Return". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  2. "Showtime Takes Another Look "Inside Comedy"". CBS. December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Bibel, Sara (April 16, 2015). "'Inside Comedy' Season 4 to Premiere Tuesday, May 5 on Showtime". Zap2it. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Steinberg, Don (February 7, 2013). "Two Comics Walk Into A Studio". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  5. Steinberg, David. "Showtime's "Inside Comedy"". Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  6. Smith, Nancy deWolf (February 10, 2012). "Funny National Treasures". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  7. Gould, Eric (December 14, 2012). "Tube riches: The best TV of 2012". The Phoenix (newspaper). Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  8. Genzlinger, Neil (January 25, 2012). "Take My Comedy Influences. Please.". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2012.

External links