The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

Comedy Cellar Network
  • 4.0 (381)
  • COMEDY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

For 30 years, New York's legendary Comedy Cellar has served as the launching pad for greatest stand up comedians in the world. Colin Quinn, Dave Chappelle, Ray Romano, Dave Attell, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Dane Cook, Robert Kelly and Greg Giraldo are just a few of the comedians who began as Cellar regulars. But classic stage performances have never been the only show going on at the Cellar. The biggest comedians in the world come to sit at the table upstairs, where comedians come to argue and discuss the events of the day and their lives, sharpening their their comedy knives on each other. This kibitzing (an inspiration for Comedy Central's Tough Crowd), has always been a private affair... until now. Join us for a weekly peek into the happenings at the Comedy Cellar's comedian table, where the funniest people in the world debate and discuss. Subscribe now and don't miss a second of it. We would love to hear your comments. Email them to podcast@comedycellar.com

  1. 6H AGO

    Robert Pape: There’s No Military Solution on Iran – Only Diplomacy and “Containing” Israel

    In a heated debate, Robert Pape argues that the current Iran crisis is not just about bombs, deterrence, or regime change. It is about an escalation trap. In this interview, Pape says there is no military solution to stopping Iran from eventually getting a nuclear weapon. He rejects the idea that bombing alone can topple the regime, dismisses hopes that outside pressure will trigger collapse from within, and argues that the only remaining path is diplomatic. His most controversial claim comes late in the conversation: if the United States wants diplomacy to have any chance, Washington may need to “contain” Israel by preventing further escalation. The debate turns on several hard questions: Can bombing actually work? Is the Iranian regime more fragile than Pape thinks? Is Trump driven mainly by MAGA domestic politics rather than an Israel lobby framework? And if military pressure cannot solve the problem, what leverage does America really have left? Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Robert Pape’s background 09:58 The Vietnam–Iran “escalation trap” analogy begins 16:10 Did Mossad “stir” Iranian protests? Source dispute and first big clash 19:35 When did the escalation really start? Israel, the U.S., and June 2025 24:15 Trump, MAGA politics, Mearsheimer, and the “someone else’s interests” tweet 28:25 What kind of Iran deal could still exist, and where Israel fits into it 30:57 Fordow, enriched uranium, and Pape’s long-running bombing model 33:35 Why Pape says bombing Fordow leads to pressure for later regime-change war 42:05 The deal Pape thinks Trump should have taken before the bombing 44:54 Direct question: stop Iran militarily or accept the diplomatic cost? 46:42 Pape: there is no military solution, only a diplomatic one 49:07 Are the Iranian people ready to turn on the regime? Protest debate 51:51 Pape’s core airpower claim: bombing alone has never toppled a regime 56:11 “Negotiation without leverage is begging” vs Pape’s leverage argument 56:55 What does “militarily contain Israel” actually mean? 59:05 Pape’s concrete proposal: a U.S. law cutting aid if Israel bombs Iran 01:00:11 Stage three of the escalation trap and warning about ground war 01:03:04 Noam’s challenge: how can you weigh costs without projecting future nuclear risk? 01:10:56 Final clash: what real strategy stops Iran from getting the bomb? 01:13:08 Pape’s closing position: the best remaining chance is “hemming in” Israel

    1h 25m

  2. 3D AGO

    Iran, Nukes and the Illusion of Safety | Nuclear Weapons Expert Scott Sagan

    The Table is joined by Professor Scott Sagan - leading scholar of nuclear security and international relations. Sagan explains that the biggest risk of Iran going nuclear is being missed. It's the threat of accidental explosion and even full-out nuclear war in the Middle East. In his view, this is especially true when small despotic nations get the bomb. Scary stuff.

    57 min

  3. 4D AGO

    Brute Force vs Strategy — Iraq War Veteran Phil Klay on America’s War Thinking

    Philip Klay is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is an author, a journalist and winner of the National Book Award. He currently teaches fiction at Fairfield University and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New Yorker and other esteemed publications. We discuss his recent piece in The New York Times, “Trump Has Made a Fundamental Miscalculation about Iran.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/22/opinion/trump-iran-war-memes.html

    1h 10m

  4. 6D AGO

    Is "Zionism for Everyone?” Tablet Mag Editor Alana Newhouse Makes the Case

    Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tablet Magazine, Alana Newhouse. They discuss her recent piece, "Zionism is for Everyone."  Available on Tablet:  https://www.tabletmag.com/feature/zionism-for-everyone

    1h 8m

  5. MAR 19

    Before Facebook Existed: The TRUE Story of the First Social Network (10M Users in 1997!)

    Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by social networking pioneer and entrepreneur, Andrew Weinreich. Weinreich is known for launching SixDegrees.com in 1997, which is recognized as one of the first social networking sites. He has been named #175 on the Forbes 250 list of America's Greatest Innovators.

    1h 23m

  6. MAR 12

    The Truth Behind the Groyper Panic and Immigration and Iran

    Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Eric Kaufmann. Kaufmann is the author of multiple books, including The Third Awokening: A 12-Point Plan for Rolling Back Progressive Extremism. He is a professor of politics at the University of Buckingham, an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute and director of the Center for Heterodox Social Science.

    1h 8m

  7. MAR 5

    Discipline, Screens, Genetics, Routine – What Actually Shapes a Kid? - Michaeleen Doucleff

    Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman, and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Michaeleen Doucleff. Doucleff has a PHD in chemistry, has written for the NPR Science desk for 14 years, and is the author of the New York Times bestseller Hunt, Gather, Parent. Her new book, Dopamine Kids, is out now.

    1 hr

  8. FEB 26

    Epstein, Anti-Zionism, Major Questions Doctrine and the Comedy Culture Shift.

    Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by bestselling author and award-winning journalist, Jesse Brown. Brown is the founder and editor of Canadaland. He won the Hillman Prize for Investigative reporting for breaking the Jian Ghomeshi scandal and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Factual Series for the television documentary Thunder Bay. He is a bestselling author and reporter and host of the podcast, What Is Happening Here.

    1h 14m
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About

For 30 years, New York's legendary Comedy Cellar has served as the launching pad for greatest stand up comedians in the world. Colin Quinn, Dave Chappelle, Ray Romano, Dave Attell, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Dane Cook, Robert Kelly and Greg Giraldo are just a few of the comedians who began as Cellar regulars. But classic stage performances have never been the only show going on at the Cellar. The biggest comedians in the world come to sit at the table upstairs, where comedians come to argue and discuss the events of the day and their lives, sharpening their their comedy knives on each other. This kibitzing (an inspiration for Comedy Central's Tough Crowd), has always been a private affair... until now. Join us for a weekly peek into the happenings at the Comedy Cellar's comedian table, where the funniest people in the world debate and discuss. Subscribe now and don't miss a second of it. We would love to hear your comments. Email them to podcast@comedycellar.com

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