Hi pals,

One of the stories I’ve been following in the wake of the election is the state of free speech, censorship, and comedy under Trump 2.0. You may have seen that SNL sketch of Bowen Yang and others asking Trump, in jest, to keep them off his enemies list. Or maybe you witnessed that whole news cycle about what it meant for speech when news outlets like The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times refused to endorse a presidential candidate this cycle, something they’ve done for decades prior. As someone who talks for a living, these headlines gave me pause. Were they all a sign that we’re headed to a moment in which a lot of the speech I enjoy might start to be stifled? 

I came into the studio this week with that question on my mind, and I wasn’t feeling good about it. And then comedian and actor Ronnie Chieng totally erased all of my doubts. Ronnie came on the show to promote his new, trippy, and fun Hulu series, Interior Chinatown (based on the award-winning book), but we also spent a lot of time talking about his work as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show and what he thinks is next for American comedy and political satire. 

Ronnie is pretty bullish on this country right now. He told me repeatedly that America is still the best place to make comedy, and still one of the places to do it with the most freedom. And he reminded me that the world he sees when he tours across the country is a lot nicer and more open-minded than the one we often encounter online. It’s just the pep talk I needed. In a week in which my feeds are full of despair, outrage, or schadenfreude, Ronnie delivers a simple truth: People will keep making jokes. And a lot of them will still be funny.

And as a bonus, Ronnie Chieng wore Ronnie Chieng socks. Literally, socks with his face all over them. It was delightful. I told him I want a pair ;-)

You can catch our chat in podcast feeds and on YouTube. Check it out if you want to feel good about the state of things. 

And, in the spirit of feeling good about comedy, this week’s rec:

The 2021 Netflix film Bad Trip is an epic pandemic-lockdown-era take on pranking. It’s got the incredible Eric Andre, joined by stars like Tiffany Haddish and Lil Rel Howery pulling their versions of the pranks you might have seen on Punk’d years ago — but, dare I say, with a heart? What I remember most about watching and loving this special was how the everyday people pranked in this film were really nice, and wanted to help, and took it all with really good cheer. Something Ronnie said in our chat this week is that when he’s online, it feels like there are more bad people in America than good people, but when he’s out on the road he notices the opposite. Bad Trip confirmed that for me in the best way. I think you’ll enjoy it at this current moment when it seems everyone’s moods are a little out of whack. 

Enjoy my chat with Ronnie, and Bad Trip, and if you’re feeling it, reply to this e-mail and lemme know the last comedy special you enjoyed. I’m looking for some good stuff to watch! 

’Till next week, be well! 

-Sam