Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen

Straw Hut Media
  • 5.0 (48)
  • Comedy Interviews
  • Updated Weekly

Don’t Be Alone with Jay Kogen is a comedy/advice podcast trying to fight the isolation of modern life. Each episode, Award winning TV writer/comedian/philosopher Jay Kogen has a conversation with a friend about how to solve the problems on Jay’s mind. These friends happen to be famous comics, musicians, actors, artists, writers, and sometimes even his family. It’s an entertaining, fun, and thoughtful show meant to bond us through humor, experience, and empathy.From Straw Hut Media

  1. 2d ago

    Actress/Writer Cheri Oteri Is Optimistic About Everything But Jay

    Cheri talks about growing up in a rough house with a lot of kids and a young mom and pretending to escape and maybe grab some attention. She talks about imitating TV shows, soap operas and Joe Cocker. She talks about moving from Pennsylvania to California to pursue dreams of acting after a break-up and found herself in the heart of Panorama City nowhere near Hollywood.  Later she found early success in LA @ A&M RECORDS. In fact she was so successful it was a little hard to give it up when it was time to start performing full time after she became a star at THE GROUNDLINGS. She talks about how her writing at The Groundlings helped her at SNL. How Laraine Newman was always encouraging even while breast feeding. How Matt Piedmont and Will Ferril were great writing partners. How sitcoms are pure fun. And how making charcuterie boards with vaguely dirty names is going to change the world for the better. Bio: Cheri Oteri was born in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia and later moved to LA, where she worked in promotions for A&M Records. She joined the Groundlings, and in 1995, the producers of Saturday Night Live saw one of her monologues, which led to an audition and eventually being hired as a cast member, where she starred for five seasons.  As of late, Cheri can be seen recurring on Happy’s Place for NBC, Mid Century Modern for HULU as well as in And Just Like That… for MAX. She has also appeared in several films, including Scary Movie, Inspector Gadget, Liar Liar, Dumb and Dumberer,Shrek the Third, Southland Tales, and Grown Ups 2. In 2009, Oteri became a regular voice on Fox’s animated comedy series Sit Down, Shut Up, which later moved to Comedy Central. She also voiced “Esther” on Disney’s Puppy Dog Pals. Cheri has made multiple guest appearances on sitcoms such as The CW’s My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, TruTV's Those Who Can't, NBC's Just Shoot Me! (in which she was nominated for an Emmy), Hot in Cleveland, and as an emotionally unstable nanny on the Golden Globe and Emmy award winning series Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has appeared multiple times on CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min

  2. May 19

    Michael Elias wrote "The Jerk", Jay IS The Jerk

    Writer, Michael Elias, talks about growing up in the Catskills, where you had to make your money in the summer to survive the winter, and how that created a lot of tension. He also talks about taking acting classes, dealing with being an actor, and how acting helped him build scenes and characters. He talks about working for Glen Campbell without realizing how talented he was. He discusses his book Benders, L.A. and talks about going to Plato's Retreat and not scoring. He talks about Steve Martin and how The Frisco Kid was not what he originally thought it would be. It was originally supposed to be directed by Mike Nichols and star John Wayne. Carl Reiner may have made The Jerk better. Garry Marshall made Young Doctors in Love better, but some movies simply don’t turn out the way you want them to. Michael wants people to know that Jews were all over the West and that minorities helped build this country. He says there was always a hangout somewhere. Mel Brooks was an egalitarian. Michael talks about having many writing partners, including Arnie Kogen, Rich Eustis, and Frank Shaw. He talks about getting kicked off The Ed Sullivan Show, writing for The Tonight Show, and learning from Neil Simon and Ed Weinberger.  He wishes he could tell his mother what’s going on in his life now and imagines writing letters to her today. He also talks about giving yourself permission to stop reading books halfway through. He remembers me playing with the microphone at my bar mitzvah. He talks about paying rent at forty-two dollars a month while working as a substitute teacher. His father, a doctor, never really understood what he did until he saw the pilot of Head of the Class. Howard Hesseman had demands even though he was about to be fired. Bio: Michael Elias grew up in the Catskill Mountains, a Red Diaper Borscht Belt Baby in a world of artists, intellectuals, tumlers, folk singers, boxers, and Jewish gangsters, some of whom sleep at the bottom of Loch Sheldrake. His childhood heroes were Jerry Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Rocky Marciano, and Abe ‘Kid Twist’ Reles. Educated in the classics at St. John’s College, Elias took his knowledge of ancient Greek and philosophy to New York, trained at the Actors Studio, acted in The Living Theatre, La MaMa and the Judson Poets Theatre. From there Elias and Frank Shaw dove into the world of stand-up comedy, playing coffee shops, night clubs, with five stints on The Tonight Show. Fired from Ed Sullivan they abandoned the act and came to Hollywood where he and Shaw wrote sit-coms, variety shows, and The Frisco Kid. After parting ways, Elias participated in the anti-Vietnam War movement, earned a subpoena from a Nixon grand jury, and teamed up with Rich Eustis and created Head of the Class. Elias continues to write novels and screenplays in Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife Bianca Roberts and their dachshund Mabel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    53 min

  3. May 12

    Author/Actress Annabelle Gurwitch Has Cancer Yet Jay Is The Worst Thing That Ever Happened to Her.

    Actress/Author Annabelle Gurwitch talks about living with stage 4 cancer, dating a hard rock tour manager, making each day count, the search for cures, ketamine fails, finding joy in writing, medicine overload, and the joys of hand painted wallpaper. Bio:  ANNABELLE GURWITCH is a New York Times bestselling author of six books, and two-time Thurber Prize finalist. Her writing appears in The New Yorker and New York Times, Hollywood Reporter amongst other publications. Annabelle was the longtime co-host of Dinner & a Movie on TBS, an NPR commentator, she was in too many tv shows and movies to name, but she fell into one of Larry David's comas of unknown origin on Seinfeld, she made Candace Bergen's Top 3 List of secretaries that she fired on Murphy Brown, and in her role as Rabbi Gurwitch on Better Things,  she Bat Mitzvahed Academy Award winning actress Mikey Madison. She performs with The Moth Mainstage and serves as a patient advocate at scientific conferences around the globe.  Her latest hilarious and helpful memoir  is a national bestseller: The End of My Life is Killing Me. Annabelle says it's never too late to write your sex, drugs, and rock n roll memoir. She wrote this book after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and she's learned what's important to pay attention to and find joy even in the darkest hours. She celebrates female friendships, being in it just for the sex at 60, and tells the story of how she found herself selling merch for a heavy metal band on a low rent van tour of Europe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    58 min

  4. May 5

    Actor/writer Paul Greenberg Gets Along With Everyone But Jay

    Actor/writer talks about being in The Vacant Lot, the sketch show immediately after Kids In the Hall and how the CBC tanked it, what it takes to be a bad waiter, why Canadians are funny in the US, how Canada makes people take turns being successful, how show business culls the herd, and the great conversation he had with his dad on the day he died.  Bio:  Paul Greenberg is an Emmy-winning writer, producer and performer whose work spans television and film. He co-created the cult sketch comedy series The Vacant Lot and the mockumentary-style series International Ghost Investigators: Hollywood Division. Greenberg has collaborated with some of the biggest names in entertainment, most recently with Jim Carrey on the script for Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and has served as Neil Patrick Harris’ main writer for his hosting duties, which includes the Emmys, Tonys and Oscars. As a performer, he can be seen alongside Dana Gould as the painfully naive bandleader, Rusty Steel, on the satirical talk show Hanging with Dr. Z. Currently, Paul is at work again with Jim Carrey on the aptly titled sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min

  5. Apr 28

    Stand-up Great Wendy Liebman Says Jay Should Keep Performing, Just Not Around Her.

    Wendy Liebman - talks about her joke prompts as a help for writing, people who want to be picked on in the audience, being an actress as and turning to stand-up, slowing down your performance, the audience as a community, jokes that lead you somewhere, the joy of the Jindo dogs, AI stealing jokes, Steven Wright, the plusses of being a comedy team, Phyllis Diller, comics who get their own sitcom, jokes vs. stories, and what it takes to sue a personal injury attorney. Bio: Wendy Liebman took a class called “How to Be a Stand-Up Comedian” at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education in 1985. She has since appeared on The Tonight Show, Late Show, and Late Night with Carson, Letterman, Leno, Fallon, Kimmel, Ferguson, and Rosie, and won the American Comedy Award for Best Female Comedian. She has recorded specials for HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime, was a semifinalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two rescued Jindo dogs, who are as trainable as a carrot. Her special Wendy Liebman: Taller on TV is available on Amazon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min

  6. Apr 21

    Comic Al Madrigal Is The Pride Of His People. Jay Is The Pride Of Nobody.

    Comic/Writer/Actor/Podcast-Entrepreneur Al Madrigal talks to Jay about representing our culture in our work.  We also chat about the dangers of a guest based podcast, the pleasures of morning golf vs lunch, how Neal Brennan’s podcast “Blocks” is better than Jay’s, ADD, Vyvanse, roadrage, comic on comic anger, leaving the parent’s staffing company business to be a comic, the reality of show business having no guarantees despite everything looking great, never buy a car until the show is being picked up, good work ethics, trying your best, mentors from school and comedy clubs, writing more, his comic book PRIMOS - connecting with comic book giant Axel Alonso and developing a diverse character, superhero for Jews, latinos has no representation on TV, The trouble getting latino ensembles on TV, writing every single day, fighting ICE, digging in, making peace with people who disagree, clubs vs cults, standing up now is when it counts, gardening, and the dangers of wearing a pilgrim outfit, murder and turkey throwing in his family’s past. Bio:  Al Madrigal broke out of San Francisco’s vibrant comedy scene with a sharp wit and an even sharper sense of timing — talents that would take him from stand-up stages to television screens and writers’ rooms. Al Madrigal cut his teeth in San Francisco’s stand-up scene, drawing on his Mexican and Italian roots to shape a comedic voice that’s sharp, self-aware, and distinctly his own. Madrigal’s star began to rise when he won a Jury Award for Best Stand-Up Comedian at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, leading to multiple appearances on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Conan O’Brien. In 2011, he began a five-season stint on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as the “Senior Latino Correspondent,” a role he recently revisited following the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2025.  His first one-hour special, Why Is the Rabbit Crying?, premiered on Comedy Central in 2013 and was named one of the top 10 comedy specials of the year by Westword and The Village Voice. His follow-up, Shrimpin’ Ain’t Easy, released two years after his award-winning 2015 docu-comedy Half Like Me, was recognized in Decider and Vulture’s Top 10 Lists. Rolling Stone Magazine praised him in an article titled “The Best Stand-up TV Right Now,” saying, “The Daily Show alum spins comedy gold.” As an actor, Madrigal boasts a diverse IMDb page, with roles in Lopez vs. Lopez, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bob’s Burgers, St. Denis Medical, Single Parents, About a Boy, Lucifer, Rutherford Falls, and feature films such as Air and The Way Back with Ben Affleck, and Night School alongside Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish.  Madrigal has lent his voice to a range of television projects including Jim Carrey’s I’m Dying Up Here and Broke with Jaime Camil. He is also developing an extensive slate of TV projects under his current deal at CBS Studios. But his writing isn’t limited to just TV. In 2022, Al teamed up with AWA and former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso to publish his Mexican and Mayan-influenced comic book, Primos.  Behind the camera, Madrigal has executive-produced stand-up specials for Demetri Martin, Ronny Chieng, Neal Brennan, Shane Gillis, Whitney Cummings, Mae Martin, and Bill Burr, his partner in the number one-rated comedy podcast network, All Things Comedy. He was appointed to the board of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers where he provides industry access and helps amplify underrepresented voices to champion stories rooted in cultural authenticity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    51 min

  7. Apr 14

    Arrested Development's Jim Vallely Has Boyish Charm While Jay's Just Creepy

    Comic/Writer Jim Vallely talks about dignity, flirting, young people, being a joke guy, Arrested Development, Golden Girls, My Wife & Kids, Don Reo, our mutual love of The Rockford Files, how being broke is good motivation, having a daughter who's working while you're unemployed, jokes vs emotional engaging of the characters, casting is 1/3 of a show, boyish only lasts so long, trying to not be an a*****e, Sit N Spin, late night rewrites because the show runner has "heard that one before", Bea Arthur and Betty White could do no wrong, mentors, bad notes, the business working itself out, & watching Carl Reiner transform into Alan Brady.Bio Jim Vallely was in a comedy duo in 80’s, who were good enough to the tonight show three times in the eighties…Then he wrote for The Golden Girls, Two and Half Men and Arrested Development for which he won an Emmy and a Writers guild award.  He hasn’t had to borrow money from his relatives in forty years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  8. Apr 7

    Comedian Greg Fitzsimmons Doesn’t Think Jay is “Friend” Material.

    Comic, Writer, Podcast Greg Fitzsimmons talks about growing up in a the son of a well known radio personality who lived large but was a tough dad, learning how to be a fighter, being a Boston comic when being brave was more important than being funny.  The power struggles on Ellen. Being on the road. Having kids and dealing with them differently than his family did. Actually living past the age of his dad’s death. And why the Rizzler is a spokesman for his generation.  Bio: Greg has achieved success as a stand-up, an Emmy Award winning writer, and host of the hugely popular FitzDog Radio podcast. He is a regular on Conan and Jimmy Kimmel Live, and has made more than 50 visits to The Howard Stern Show, 20 trips to The Joe Rogan Experience and has become a regular on “Lights Out w/ David Spade”.Greg’s one-hour Netflix special, Life On Stage, was named a Top 10 Comedy Release by LA Weekly.  His 2011 book, Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons, climbed the best-seller charts and garnered outstanding reviews from NPR and Vanity Fair.  Greg was recently seen in the hit Netflix series, Santa Clarita Diet, he co-starred on the Emmy-winning FX series Louie, spent five years as a panelist on VH1’s Best Week Ever, hosted Pumped on The Speed Channel in 2012 and he starred in two half-hour stand-up specials on Comedy Central. Greg wrote on the hit Judd Apatow HBO series, Crashing, HBO’s Lucky Louie, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Man Show and many others.  On his mantle beside the four Daytime Emmys he won as a writer and producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show sit “The Jury Award for Best Comedian” from The HBO Comedy Arts Festival and a Cable Ace Award for the MTV game show he hosted called Idiot Savants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min
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About

Don’t Be Alone with Jay Kogen is a comedy/advice podcast trying to fight the isolation of modern life. Each episode, Award winning TV writer/comedian/philosopher Jay Kogen has a conversation with a friend about how to solve the problems on Jay’s mind. These friends happen to be famous comics, musicians, actors, artists, writers, and sometimes even his family. It’s an entertaining, fun, and thoughtful show meant to bond us through humor, experience, and empathy.From Straw Hut Media

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