Comedy

Writer and humorist Roy Blount's new book is "Crackers," a book of "impressions" about Southerners, Northerners, Jimmy Carter, and a fictional Carter family. Blount joins the show to talk about his book, Carter, the 1980 election, and the current political climate.

Former Saturday Night Live writers Al Franken and Tom Davis are touring the country with their own show. They join Fresh Air to discuss comedy and writing.

Writer Christopher Cerf co-edited a humorous speculative history called The 80s, which anticipates what happens in the coming decade. Fresh Air listeners and host Terry Gross discuss a number of whimsical predictions.

Writer Ralph Allen returns to Fresh Air to talk about his new musical Sugar Babies and the history of burlesque, and to tell his favorite jokes from that tradition. Fresh Air listeners call in to join the conversation.

Playwright Ralph Allen discusses the history of burlesque theater and it's influence on his new comedy musical, Sugar Babies.

Billy Crystal is a comedian currently enjoying success on television. He also grew up around jazz musicians due to his father's business; Billie Holliday was his sometime-babysitter. Crystal joins the show to discuss his career and jazz memories. (INTERVIEW WITH DAVID KARPOFF)

Penn Jillette, Teller, and Wier Chrisemer form the troop Asparagus Valley Cultural Society. Today, they, sound engineer Marc Garland, and guitarist Gary Anderson, join the show for an interview and perform their music, comedy, and magic. The group also shares their favorite classical records.

Cartoonist Dave Berg discusses his work and Mad Magazine.

The comic, who plays a rodeo clown in his new FX comedy series, says he is "not creeped out by clowns." Galifianakis is also the creator of the Emmy Award-winning web comedy series Between Two Ferns.

In the new sitcom Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson stars as a rookie second grade teacher in an under-resourced, majority Black public elementary school in Philadelphia.

Robert Klein is one of the forerunners of the current stand-up comedy boom. His 1973 album "Child of the 50s" established him as one the leading comics of the baby boomer generation. Klein grew up in the Bronx and honed his skill in the improvisation troupe Second City.