In this episode of What’s So Funny! We meet Lily Tomlin’s famous character Ernestine the Telephone Operator in her 1971 album "This Is A Recording." Throughout this album Ernestine shows us what a day in the life of the telephone company is like. She persuades Gore Vidal to pay his bill, introduces us to the hunky Vito the Repairman, and we get to hear about the upcoming telephone company pageant. Lily Tomlin has done it all from being the first woman to have a solo show on Broadway to starring in numerous films and television shows, listen in to find out more about Lily Tomlin!

Lily Tomlin the Performer

It’s hard to believe, but the parents of improvisational comedy didn’t even like each other the first time they met! In this episode of What’s So Funny! we take a listen to the live recording of their Broadway show “An Evening With Nichols and May,” by Mike Nichols and Elaine May. This comedy duo rose to fame in just 2 short years and paved the way for improvisational comedy that we see today!

The Comedy Duo Nichols and May present “An Evening With Nichols and May”

In this episode of What’s So Funny! Dave Schwensen and Tom Megalis listen to original one hit wonder, Vaughn Meader. His comedy album broke records when it was released in 1962 skyrocketing to the top of the charts, but his career took a turn for the worse when national tragedy hit. As the original presidential impersonator he changed the face of the nation as John F. Kennedy. Let’s go back in time to Camelot with Vaughn Meader’s “The First Family.”

The Original One Hit Wonder, Vaughn Meader

In this episode of What’s So Funny! we are listening to the one and only Moms Mabley and her 1970 album “Live at Sing Sing.” Jackie Moms Mabley is not only known as the funniest woman in the world, but she is also known as the first black stand up comedienne, the first black woman to take the stage at the Apollo theater, and the first black woman to play at Carnegie Hall. Her career spans over 30 years, and she really knows how to put on a show. Listen in to find out what it’s like to be Live in Sing Sing!

The Funniest Woman in the World, Moms Mabley

Our final episode of the season features the one, the only, Shelley Berman and his album “Inside Shelley Berman.” Before becoming a comedian, Shelley worked quite a few odd jobs, but he didn’t let that stop him from becoming the comedian we know of today! Today Shelley is most known for his role on Curb Your Enthusiasm but,&nbsp; he was one of the premiere comics of his time. He worked along side Nichols and May, was good friends with Mort Sahl, and&nbsp; was awarded the Grammy in 1959 for Best Comedy Performance- Spoken Word. Listen in to find out what makes Shelley Berman unstoppable!

The Unstoppable Shelley Berman

What’s So Funny! is a comedy show originally recorded for radio which ran until 2008.  The host of What’s So Funny! is Dave Schwensen, a former television talent coordinator in Los Angeles and New York, author of "How To Be A Working Comic," and comedy coach for The Improv comedy clubs in Chicago, Cleveland and Tampa.

In each episode, Dave interviews a guest comedian, discussing how that comedian got his start and tips of the trade. They listen to and comment on bits of his stand-up performances, as well as those of the comedy greats.  

What’s So Funny! is now being re-released as podcasts by The Front Porch People in seasonal format. 

It is an original podcast produced, edited, recorded & published by The Front Porch People. Based out of CLE & NYC.

What's So Funny!

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