Elliott Kalan

Bearded Comic Bro got to sit down and talk with Elliott Kalan who is the writer behind the comic "Barbarian Behind Bars, Maniac of New York, and Harley Quinn". Make sure you watch the video and check out all the links below that we mention in the video Follow Elliott Kalan on Social Media Bluesky: @elliottkalan.bsky.social Twitter: @ElliottKalan

On today's 16th anniversary episode, I talk to Emmy Award-winning TV and comic writer and podcaster Elliott Kalan. Originally from Millburn, NJ, Elliott started as a PA at The Daily Show in 2003 and eventually worked his way up to head writer. In addition to The Daily Show, he's written for the Academy Awards, MST3K, Netflix's upcoming Ghostbusters cartoon and many other shows. As a comic writer, he's written Spider-Man and the X-Men, Harley Quinn and his own Maniac of New York, and as a podcaster, Elliot has been one of the three hosts of the wonderful Flop House, which has been running since 2007. This is just a small sampling of Elliott's CV, and the latest addition is his new book Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense, which was just published by University of Chicago Press at the end of last year! This is the website for Beginnings , subscribe on Apple Podcasts , follow me on Twitter . Check out my free philosophy Substack where I write essays every couple months here and my old casiopop band's lost album here ! And the comedy podcast I do with my wife Naomi Couples Therapy can be found here ! Theme song by the fantastic Savoir Adore ! Second theme by the brilliant Mike Pace ! Closing theme by the delightful Gregory Brothers ! Podcast art by the inimitable Beano Gee !

In Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense , Elliott Kalan (U Chicago Press, 2025) explains that it’s easier to write jokes when you have a dependable method for doing so. All jokes, he argues, are built from the same elements: structure, premise, voice, tone, wording, and audience—and these elements can be applied to any comedic genre, from stand-up to sitcoms to satire. Kalan analyzes examples from his own career—including jokes that he wrote (and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote . . . ) as head writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart —as well as material from a diverse array of comedians, writers, and filmmakers, highlighting the phrasing, rhythm, and precise details that make their work so dang funny. Drawing on his experiences in professional writers’ rooms as well as episodes from everyday life, Kalan’s guide to jokes will appeal to aspiring writers, their mentors, comedy fans, and anyone who has to speak at a wedding. Joke Farming points the way toward a writing process that lessens stress and agony and yields more reliable rewards: a surprising tagline, a hilarious word choice, and—most importantly—a bigger laugh from the audience, whoever they may be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts

In Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense , Elliott Kalan (U Chicago Press, 2025) explains that it’s easier to write jokes when you have a dependable method for doing so. All jokes, he argues, are built from the same elements: structure, premise, voice, tone, wording, and audience—and these elements can be applied to any comedic genre, from stand-up to sitcoms to satire. Kalan analyzes examples from his own career—including jokes that he wrote (and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote . . . ) as head writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart —as well as material from a diverse array of comedians, writers, and filmmakers, highlighting the phrasing, rhythm, and precise details that make their work so dang funny. Drawing on his experiences in professional writers’ rooms as well as episodes from everyday life, Kalan’s guide to jokes will appeal to aspiring writers, their mentors, comedy fans, and anyone who has to speak at a wedding. Joke Farming points the way toward a writing process that lessens stress and agony and yields more reliable rewards: a surprising tagline, a hilarious word choice, and—most importantly—a bigger laugh from the audience, whoever they may be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/popular-culture

Award-winning writer/comedian and longtime Marx Brothers obsessive Elliott Kalan ("The Daily Show", "MST3K", "The Flop House", and the new book, "Joke Farming") takes us deep into the craft of professional comedy writing with a nice dose of Marx-inspired examples. Elliott details the difference between satire and parody, defends the noble pun, and tells the story behind his delightfully chaotic Marx-flavored children’s book, "Sharko and Hippo".

EPISODE 327 - We go over issue 3 of the original run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. Our guest is Elliott Kalan! Elliott is the co-host of the terrific podcast The Flophouse, as well as being an Actual Comics Writer, currently writing Harley Quinn. In this issue, the turtles and April go on a 10+ page car chase! And... that's mostly it! but it's cool! ----------------- Email us at screwitcomics@gmail.com Subscribe for monthly bonus epsiodes at screwitpodcasts.com, if you please!

We're joined by the marvelous musical mind of Elliott Kalan ! Check out his new podcast Clueless on the Smartless network and jam out as we solve riddles, talk New Jersey and hear what's possibly the next Tony award winning musical! Starring: Adal Rifai John Patrick Coan Erin Keif Guest Starring: Elliott Kalan Editing by: Casey Toney Theme by: Arne Parrott Logo by: Emily Kardamis & Emmaline Morris Want more? Get Weekly Bonus Eps on Patreon! JPC's Guided Meditations Volume 1, available now at our Patreon digital store ! Want merch? Visit our TeePublic Store! or pins, buttons & prints Want to mail us something? Hey Riddle Riddle 6351 W Montrose Ave #267 Chicago, IL, 60634 Want to leave us a voicemail? Call (805) RIDDLE-1 or (805-743-3531) Want to advertise on the show? Check out Hey Riddle Riddle via Gumball.fm See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Welcome to a brand new, bite-sized game show from SmartLess Media: this is ClueLess, where every episode contains a different main game and cliffhanger puzzle, and every episode this season also contains Sean Hayes! Host Elliott Kalan (Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, The Flop House) will lead Sean and a rotating guest through each episode's conundrum, from anagrams to pop culture math puzzles to singing robots and more! New episodes every Monday and Thursday, follow the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss a clue! Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free episodes. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinflop

In issue 6 of the Bendis/Bagley run, we get to see Actual Ultimate Spider-Man -- properly costumed, fighting bad guys and everything! Does this change Kevin's mind about the pace of the comic? You'll have to listen to find out! (hint: not really!) Joining us for this episode is guest Elliott Kalan (former Daily Show head writer, co-host of The Flop House podcast). Elliott is a passionate Spider-Man fan and a fan of this podcast! Hey, this guy is pretty smart! Elliott also writes comics. He tells us how he made the leap (side-step? pivot?) from writing for the Daily Show to also writing some Marvel comics. AND he tells us about his new comics series Hercules! It's continuing the adventures of the Disney movie version of Hercules. This is going to be just as great as the comics he wrote previously: Disney Villains: Hades! It's out this week and we would all love it if you bought it. Hercules comics: https://www.dynamite.com/disney/ The Flop House podcast: https://www.flophousepodcast.com/ ----------------------- Subscribe to our monthly bonus episodes or join our chat server: https://www.screwitpodcasts.com/

originally released: July 13, 2022 Emmy-winner and former The Daily Show head-writer Elliott Kalan is here for a musical running now about then but really about way back then which seems to have been lost now. Topics include: losing on Jeopardy! , adding jokes by Larry David, ethical use of a resurrection machine, Frank Loesser, the House Committee on “Shipoopi,” Broadway sets of the 50s & 60s, and (of course) is Winthrop Marion’s son and does that matter? Elliott Kalan on Twitter The Flop House Podcast The Who Was? Podcast Featured recordings: The Music Man - Original Broadway Cast (1957) MERCH! Visit our Patreon for access to our monthly live stream The Original Cast at the Movies where this year we’re talking musical sequels and musical biopics! Patreon • Twitter • Facebook • Email

It’s #MaxFunDrive! Join (or upgrade or boost your existing membership!) to support this show directly at MaximumFun.org/join ! Both monthly memberships and one-time annual membership plans are available. Thank you for everything – we couldn’t do this without you! As "Dune Month" (aka "How You Dune? Month") winds toward its climax, a foray into the world of documentary to glimpse the Dune that might have been. But would it have been…good? The Flop House ’s Elliott Kalan is our dream guest, and the feeling is mutual! Plus, we pitch some other unmade projects whose true Hollywood stories we’d love to see on screen. What’s Good Drea - A Good Bad Boy: Luke Perry and How a Generation Grew Up by Margaret Wappler Elliott - Pole to Pole with Michael Palin Alonso - making a recipe “wrong” with the right ingredients Ify (probably) meeting Stu IRL ITIDIC Survey Says Millennials and Gen-Z Want Original Movies and TV In Other Survey News…34% of Adults Would Rather Screen than Stream Amazon False Advertising Lawsuit ( re: selling digital content ) Staff Picks Drea - Snack Shack Elliott - Anvil! The Story of Anvil Alonso - Hundred of Beavers Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmaxfilm Follow us on BlueSky , Facebook , Instagram , or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Hello listeners! In this episode, Tyler chats with Elliott Kalan, co-host of wildly successful bad movie podcast The Flop House, Emmy Award winning head writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and the creative force behind the comics MANIAC OF NEW YORK and MANIAC OF NEW YORK: THE BRONX IS BURNING. Elliott discusses his earliest inspirations for Maniac Harry, a masked and immortal killer, whose murderous rampages become a semi-regular occurrence/nuisance to New Yorkers, his rules of satire and thoughts on storytelling as a vehicle for social messaging, plus why THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 is his favorite film and a glorious portrait of '70s New York. Lastly, Elliott gives some insight into the ongoing writer's strike and how to support those most impacted by it. Links to MANIAC OF NEW YORK and MANIAC OF NEW YORK: THE BRONX IS BURNING https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781949028713 https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781956731040 Link to the Entertainment Community Relief Fund: https://entertainmentcommunity.org/ Produced by Tyler Austin, Mick Kowaleski, & Alena Saunders Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band The Better Than the Movie guys will be at the American Cinematheque's FRIEND OF THE FEST! They'll be hosting a screening of Sally Potter's ORLANDO (1992) on Sunday, August 27th, at the Los Feliz 3. It's right next door to Skylight, come hang out and watch a movie with the BTTM gang! Tickets found here: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/the-skylight-books-podcast-presents-orlando-8-27-23/