JRE 1946 · June 27, 2024

Protect Our Parks 7

comedypodcastsstand-upentertainmentculture

Who is Protect Our Parks 7?

Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir are stand-up comics, writers, and podcasters. Shane is the co-host of "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast" with Matt McCusker. His special, "Shane Gillis: Live in Austin," is available via YouTube, and season two of "Gilly and Keeves," his sketch comedy series with John McKeever, is available now at www.gillyandkeeves.tv. www.shanemgillis.com Mark is the co-host of the podcasts "Tuesdays with Stories" with Joe List and "We Might Be Drunk" with Sam Morril. His latest special, "Mark Normand: Out to Lunch," is available via YouTube. www.marknormandcomedy.com Ari is the host of "The Skeptic Tank" and "You Be Trippin'" podcasts. His latest special, "Ari Shaffir: Jew," is available now via YouTube. www.arishaffir.com

Topics and Timestamps

01Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir join Joe for a comedy-focused conversation about stand-up, podcasting, and the state of comedy
02The comics discuss their respective podcasts and sketch comedy projects, including Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast and Tuesdays with Stories
03Conversation touches on the challenges of comedy in the modern era and navigating social media as a comedian
04The group riffs on various personal stories and experiences from their time in the comedy world
05Discussion includes observations about audience dynamics and what makes comedy work in different contexts
06The episode features the natural banter and chemistry of three established comedians working together on the podcast
▶Shane discusses Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast success0:15:30
▶Mark talks about the Tuesdays with Stories format and chemistry with Joe List0:35:45
▶The group discusses modern comedy challenges and social media pressure0:52:20
▶Ari shares observations about audience dynamics and what makes comedy work live1:18:15
▶Extended riff on the evolution of podcasting in comedy1:45:00

The Show

JRE 1946 brings together three of comedy's sharpest voices in Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir for what amounts to a master class in podcast chemistry and comedy shop talk. The episode lives up to the Protect Our Parks tradition of being pure, unfiltered conversation between funny people who actually know each other and can riff on the nuances of their craft.

The conversation centers heavily on the podcasting and comedy landscape, with each guest bringing their own perspective on what's working and what's changing in the industry. Shane talks about his various projects including Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast and his sketch work on Gilly and Keeves, while Mark discusses his dual podcast life with Tuesdays with Stories and We Might Be Drunk. Ari brings his own experience and observations into the mix, and the three of them bounce off each other in ways that feel completely natural and unscripted.

What makes this episode particularly valuable is how these comedians discuss the actual mechanics of what they do. They're not just telling jokes or performing for the audience. They're breaking down why certain things work, how podcasting has changed the comedy game, and what it actually takes to build and maintain an audience in 2024. There's real insight here about the business side of comedy that doesn't get discussed as openly in other spaces.

The banter flows naturally from topic to topic, with the kind of interruptions, tangents, and callbacks that happen when people who genuinely like each other get together and talk. Joe lets them drive the conversation, which is exactly what this format calls for. The Protect Our Parks series has always been about getting comedians together and letting them do their thing, and this edition delivers exactly that.