Showing titles in Storytelling

Whether performing his original tales or retelling an old classic, Bill Harley is one of the liveliest acts going in storytelling for kids. You'll hear a story about a little girl named Sarah as well as Harley's take on what might happen if a kid stayed up all night (something he never got to do as a child) and his version of the old English folktale "Fox's Sack."

Jim Gaffigan is a very successful comedian and that means he gets to perform in interesting places for interesting people. On this extra special episode of Hold On, host Eugene Mirman brings Jim into the studio to tell a live story on the spot. The story in question? The time Jim did stand-up comedy as an opening act for Pope Francis in Philadelphia, at an event attended by hundreds of thousands of people.

[Contains explicit content] The saying, "Beauty is as beauty does" is misleading. It's supposed to mean that one's beauty is defined by their actions, not their appearance. But as anyone who's ever consumed any type of visual media knows, beautiful people are exalted — and most people in the public eye have to DO a lot to be beautiful. On this episode of Hot Mic with Dan Savage we'll hear how two public figures deal with the pressure to be pretty for the camera.

Mo Willems is a household name to any parents who have had to endure innumerable readings and re-readings of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Knuffle Bunny, or any of his other colorful kids books.

[Contains explicit content] For most teenagers, prom is a big deal with a lot of build-up. Asking someone to the big dance comes with enough hurdles as it is, so Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show) was convinced that his strict Indian father and his family's cultural quirks would ruin any shot he might have at finding someone to slow dance with on prom night. On this episode of Hold On, host Eugene Mirman takes Hasan back to high school to find out if he managed to score his dream date for the big night.

Everybody knows an Aunt Edith - picky, disagreeable, animal-hating, who couldn't possibly ever have been a kid herself. Well, if you know that Tricky is Jack's escape-artist hamster, you can just imagine the fun in the story "Aunt Edith Meets Tricky." This is just one example of the potential for silliness loaded in this engaging collection, in which master storyteller and songster Bill Harley presents originals, as well as his own, unique takes on old favorites. Others include "Wacka Wacka Woo," "Soap Soap," "Is Not, Is Too," "Tara and the Magic Sack," and "Aiken Drum."

[Contains explicit content] Cartoon siblings reunite on this episode of Hold On as Kristen Schaal (Bob's Burgers, The Last Man on Earth) joins Eugene Mirman in the studio to tell a story of a Sideways-themed winery tour. It's all vintages and pairing recommendations until things take a hard turn. Hear her story and the questions it raises for our curious host, who refuses to put a cork in it and leave a story unexamined.

[Contains explicit content] At the tenth and final Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, a motley crew of daring storytellers boldly ventured onstage to have their stories cross-examined by the festival's very namesake. Michael Showalter reminisces about experiences touring with Eugene, Caroline Rhea remembers not being remembered by a comedy legend, and Ira Glass shares an unaired This American Life story.

This is the fourth and final Tim Sample album to be originally released on the Bert and I label. Recorded before an enthusiastic standing-room-only crowd on the opening night of the brand new Caribou, Maine, Performing Arts Center in 1989, this is classic Tim Sample humor. If you want to introduce your friends to Maine humor, this is an excellent place to start.

[Contains explicit content] “Queen of Mean” Lisa Lampanelli has an innate ability to put people in their place with her barbed wit, but behind that sharp comedic talent there’s a lot of heart. You can hear some of that heart – and some of those barbs – in Lisa’s story about a wonderful, memorable man she dated and the health concern that drove her away. Where do comedians go when they want to answer questions about stories they’ve told? They come right here, to Hold On.

Over the years, this has proven to be one of Tim’s consistently best-selling audios. This material was recorded on tour in 1992, and Pumping Irony was the first release on Tim’s own record label. The first nine stories were recorded at the University of Maine in Machias; the rest was captured while Tim was touring “out west”, specifically at The Lebanon (N. H.) Opera House. This recording includes the first mention of Tim’s real-life band from the 1970s, The Dubious Brothers.

SF Sketchfest is an annual comedy festival where titans of humor descend upon the quaint township of San Francisco to mercilessly pummel audiences with all forms of live comedic performance. As far live storytelling goes, the King Kong of questions and comments is indisputably Eugene Mirman, and he brought three monsters of comedy onstage to split sides and take names in a special live Hold On at SF Sketchfest 2018.

[Contains explicit content] Taking heat for caring about politics and agonizing over a milestone birthday.

[Contains explicit content] Busy Philipps has been stealing scenes from when she was attending high school on Freaks and Geeks to when she was also attending high school on Dawson's Creek to when she was the ex-wife of a high school vice principal on Vice Principals. Nevertheless, there are certain times in life when you don't want to steal the scene, and one such time would be the wedding of your boyfriend's ex-fiancé.

[Contains explicit content] Andy Richter is no stranger to sharing a stage with someone, but never before has that stage been at the Swedish American Hall in San Francisco. Andy has also never before shared a stage with Eugene Mirman for a special San Francisco Sketchfest live recording of the always-inquisitive audio show Hold On with Eugene Mirman!

[Contains explicit content] For most of his career, if you asked comedian, author, and director Mike Birbiglia (Don't Think Twice,Sleepwalk With Me) about his worst gig ever, he would say it was the time he attempted stand-up at a charity golf event. Eugene Mirman brings Mike into the studio to tell the story of that challenging gig, while making sure to pause the narrative to ask some probing questions and crack some jokes.

[Contains explicit content] H. Jon Benjamin (Archer, Bob's Burgers) has the most recognizable voice in comedy, but it's his parents who have a talent for recognizing exceptional dining experiences. Eugene Mirman recognized the opportunity to have Jon onstage at NYC Podfest to relay a funny account of his parents' restaurant recommendation and answer questions about the family's memorable dining experience.

[Contains explicit content] Jonathan Katz is a comedian's comedian who has earned the right to reminisce about life on the road — but none shall be spared the inquisitive storytelling musings of Eugene Mirman! Not even the esteemed comic and former cartoon psychiatrist can tell his story at the Boston Comedy Festival without invoking the devastatingly keen observations and lacerating questions called forth in every hilarious episode of Hold On with Eugene Mirman.

A deeply funny story by Tami Sagher about her love affair with math.

Un-Cabaret assembled the entire Emmy-winning writing staff of Sex and the City, each reading their own work for this special sold-out edition of Say the Word at The Knitting Factory in New York. Meet the writers behind the hit show and hear the individual voices that came together to create a cultural landmark.