Mark Malkoff is a comedian, writer, and podcaster. As a teenager growing up in Hershey, PA, Mark would regularly make the drive into New York City, where he would attend tapings of Late Night with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He befriended SNL cast members, and developed close relationships with people like Robert Smigel. Mark is also a life-long fan of Johnny Carson, and as host of the The Carson Podcast conducted close to 400 interviews with luminaries such as Carl Reiner, Dick Cavett, and Carol Burnett. Mark's recent book, Love Johnny Carson was named a Vulture Best Comedy Book of 2025.

Mark stopped by the studio to talk to Will about his new book, and what makes his Carson biography different from previous books about the late night legend. They also discuss the early days of Late Night with Conan O'Brien, the heartbreaking story of Johnny Carson's falling out with Joan Rivers, and Mark's new podcast Inside Late Night from Latenighter.com.

Recorded at Jett Road Studios

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LIFE IN COMEDY

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MARK MALKOFF

Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend

Inside Late Night

Andy Richter is best known for his work on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show, and CONAN on TBS. Andy also starred and created the acclaimed TV shows Andy Richter Controls the Universe, and Andy Barker P.I. He has also appeared in movies like Cabin Boy, Talladega Nights, and Madagascar. Andy came up in the Chicago improv scene, performing at The Annoyance Theater, as well as Improv Olympic, where he studied with Del Close.

Andy and Will talk about working together at CONAN, and on Andy's podcast The Three Questions with Andy Richter. They discuss the Chicago Improv Scene, and how it influenced both Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Andy also tells Will about his approach to the CONAN rehearsal process, and the "zen art of not giving a shit."

Recorded at Jett Road Studios

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LIFE IN COMEDY

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Jimmy Pardo is a stand-up comedian, actor, and host of the podcast Never Not Funny. Jimmy grew up in Chicago, where he performed at Second City, and worked in the music business. He was encouraged to first try standup by a young Bob Odenkirk, and came up in the Chicago comedy scene. Jimmy then moved to Los Angeles, where he became a regular at The Improv, as well as the original Largo location with fellow "alt" comics like Paul F. Tompkins, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, David Cross, and Mary Lynn Rajskub. He later became the warm-up comic for the short-lived Conan O'Brien version of The Tonight Show, and CONAN on TBS.

Jimmy and Will talk about their time together at CONAN, finding one's voice as a comic, and his incredible run as the host of Never Not Funny. He and cohost Matt Belknap started the podcast in 2006, and at one point it was the #1 podcast in the world. Will shares what it was like engineering Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend during the early days of the podcast, and the two discuss the current state of podcasting at a pivotable time for the industry.

Recorded at Jett Road Studios

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LIFE IN COMEDY

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