The best comedy podcasts are audio shows that combine humor with interesting stories, witty interviews, or improvised conversations. In 2025, the best comedy podcasts are Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, The Joe Rogan Experience, Bad Friends, WTF with Marc Maron, and The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart.
Comedy podcasts serve as entertaining classrooms that teach life lessons through humor. By using pop culture, they offer unique perspectives on various topics, turning silly moments into valuable insights. These podcasts make complex ideas more accessible and enjoyable, blending entertainment with learning.
Quick picks at a glance: Top 5 comedy podcasts
'Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend' features comedic, informal interviews with famous guests, building friendships along the way.
'The Joe Rogan Experience' has light, humorous moments to serious discussions about social issues.
'Bad Friends' is a wildly hilarious show.
'WTF with Marc Maron' contains provocative, personal interviews with iconic guests in a garage atmosphere.
'The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart' opens up complex and important topics and aims to educate and explain serious issues in an accessible way.
Get your headphones ready — here's our list of the funniest and most interesting podcasts: We will look at the 13 best comedy podcasts, with something for everyone to choose from. Read on.
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13 best comedy podcasts
Podcast | Host(s) | Style | Episode Length | Best For |
---|---|---|---|---|
Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend | Conan O'Brien, Sona Movsesian, Matt Gourley | Celebrity interviews, humor, improv | 32–91 min | Light, witty conversations with famous guests |
The Joe Rogan Experience | Joe Rogan | Free-form interviews, humor, deep dives | ~2h 39m | Long, varied conversations on any topic |
Bad Friends | Andrew Santino, Bobby Lee | Improv comedy, satire | 60–120 min | For fans of wild, chaotic humor |
WTF with Marc Maron | Marc Maron | Personal interviews, emotional depth | 60–120 min | Intimate and candid conversations with stars |
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart | Jon Stewart | Satire, political & social commentary | 60–100 min | Smart humor on serious topics |
Comedy Bang Bang | Scott Aukerman | Improv comedy, parody, live games | 60–120 min | For fans of absurdity and experiments |
The Neighborhood Listen | Paul F. Tompkins, Nicole Parker, Brett Morris | Fictional improv comedy | 60–90 min | For fans of fictional stories and funny characters |
Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! | Peter Sagal + guest panel | Comedy news quiz show | 45–60 min | For lovers of humor on the topic of current news |
This Past Weekend with Theo Von | Theo Von | Monologues + interviews, everyday humor | 60–90 min | For lovers of personal stories with humor |
How Did This Get Made? | Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas | Comedy movie reviews of bad films | 60–90 min | For those who like to laugh at bad movies |
Call Her Daddy | Alex Cooper | Humor + frank talk on relationships | 60–120 min | Listeners of frank, fun conversations about relationships |
Small Town Murder | James Pietragallo, Jimmy Wistman | True crime comedy | 90–120 min | For fans of crime with a humorous twist |
Rotten Mango | Stephanie Soo | True crime + humor storytelling | 45–75 min | For those who want a combination of crime and emotional narrative |
Top improv comedy podcasts
1. Bad Friends
The podcast is a comedy show hosted by Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee. They talk about everything from absurd situations to improvisational sketches, helpful advice, fictional characters, and even celebrity guests. It airs once a week, usually on Mondays. The format is entirely unscripted, filled with improvisation, satire, and even therapeutic moments, often culminating in genuine and friendly chaos.
Episode length: 60–120 minutes.
Best for: Perfect for fans of uninhibited improvisation, straightforward friendship
2. Comedy Bang-Bang
Another popular comedy podcast hosted by comedian Scott Aukerman. This funny podcast is known for its irreverent humor and comedic guests, such as Conan O'Brien, actor Paul Rudd, and Jack Black. The show is built around improvisational comedy theater, where guests often play fictional characters or parody celebrities. It creates a unique atmosphere of endless comedy.
Episode length: The standard length of episodes is from 1 to 2 hours, depending on the flow of conversations and improvisation.
Best for: lovers of live conversation, funny songs, and improvised games.
3. The Neighborhood Listen
This is an improvisational comedy podcast that takes listeners to the fictional town of Dignity Falls. Hosts Burnt Millipede (Paul F. Tompkins), Joan Pedestrian (Nicole Parker), and Doug (Brett Morris) explore local events through posts from the fictional neighborhood app NeighborhApp, interview colorful residents, and create comedic situations that reflect the absurdity of everyday life.
Episode length: Typically 60–90 minutes, depending on the topic and the development of the improvisation.
Best for: those who are looking for light and entertaining content that allows them to take a break from serious topics and enjoy humor.
4. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
This is a weekly comedy-news quiz podcast from NPR that combines humor and current events. The format is an interactive quiz: Participants (celebrities, comedians, listeners) answer questions about the week's news. Host Peter Sagal and a regular crew add irony and sarcasm. It's recorded live in front of an audience, creating a stand-up atmosphere.
Episode length: Typically 45–60 minutes.
Best for: those who like humor based on politics, pop culture, and news curiosities.
Best celebrity guests interview comedy podcasts
Let's take a look at some of the best comedy podcasts featuring celebrity guests and interview formats.
5. Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend (Earwolf)
A weekly comedy podcast featuring Conan O'Brien is built around light, friendly conversations with famous guests, from actors and musicians to public figures, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama. The goal is to find true friendships with people through a friendly, improvisational atmosphere.
Episode length: Typically 32–91 minutes, or about half an hour to an hour and a half.
Best for: those who are looking for inspiration, humor, and emotional support
6. WTF with Marc Maron
Maron invites comedians, actors, musicians, authors, and celebrities for sincere, emotional, and often vulnerable conversations. He openly shares his problems, fears, and failures, creating trust and deep intimacy. Maron doesn't hesitate to ask uncomfortable questions in the interview, often eliciting honest and unexpected answers.
Episode length: 60–120 minutes (1–2 hours).
Best for: For people who value emotional honesty and vulnerability, human imperfection, and transformation
7. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
In each episode, Stewart conducts in-depth conversations with experts, public figures, and thinkers, such as Bernie Sanders, an American politician and senator, or Amy Gutmann, a philosopher and professor of political science. They discuss the most pressing challenges of our time, including democratic threats, political corruption, institutional accountability, pandemics, and climate change.
Episode length: within 60-100 minutes.
Best for: those who enjoy plenty of sarcasm and irony combined with depth and diversity of thought from economists and politicians to historians and journalists.
If you like deep life topics, we have a selection of the best podcasts about life.
8. This Past Weekend with Theo Von
A talk show hosted by comedian Theo Vaughn, known for his unique sense of humor, southern flair, and ability to blend the funny with the very personal. Theo's monologues are about his life and childhood, observations, and funny stories. Topics often discussed include self-improvement, addiction, and overcoming adversity, but with a humorous twist.
Episode length: Typically 60–90 minutes.
Best for: Those who appreciate storytelling with personal implications and audiences interested in cultural, political, and social topics
If you are interested in self-development topics, you will definitely be interested in the best mental health podcasts.
Best for satire and cultural commentary talk shows
9. The Joe Rogan Experience
The 'Joe Rogan Experience' is one of the world's most famous and longest-running podcasts, hosted by comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan. The format is casual but includes deep conversations with guests, from scientists and politicians to athletes, musicians, and actors. Topics cover everything, including science, culture, sports, technology, psychology, philosophy, and conspiracy theories.
Episode length: The average duration is about 2 hours and 39 minutes.
Best for: people interested in personal development and health, and those who love long and deep conversations
10. How Did This Get Made?
In episodes of this comedy podcast, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas discuss terrible movies that they have seen and discuss their bad acting, bad plot, and strange ideas. All three hosts bring their style of comedy. The podcast is so popular that there are regular live tapings, special celebrity guests, and a dynamic format with live reactions and improvisation.
Episode length: Typically 60–90 minutes.
Best for: Movie buffs and pop culture fans
If you're a movie lover, check out the list of the best movie podcasts.
11. Call Her Daddy
A popular podcast with candid conversations about relationships, sex, psychology, and self-development, hosted by Alex Cooper. It features interviews with celebrities, psychologists, sexologists, and influencers, and covers topics like mental health, toxic relationships, and self-esteem. It offers a mix of humor, personal stories, and practical advice. The format is classed as "girlfriend talk".
Episode length: Typically 60–120 minutes, depending on the topic and guest.
Best for: An audience interested in topics such as sexuality, self-acceptance, female friendship, self-confidence, relationships, and breakups.
12. Small Town Murder
This is a comedy true crime podcast hosted by comedians James Pietragallo and Jimmy Wistman. Each episode tells the story of a real crime in a small town. It emphasizes the uniqueness of small towns, with strange traditions, rumors, and local flavor. The presentation is dynamic — it feels like you are sitting in the company of friends discussing a wild story.
Episode length: Usually 90-120 minutes.
Best for: For true crime fans and those who enjoy dark humor
13. Rotten Mango
'Rotten Mango' is a true crime podcast hosted by Stephanie Soo. She delves into the darkest and most shocking crimes worldwide, combining in-depth investigations with emotional storytelling and humor. Stephanie skillfully balances the seriousness of the subject matter with emotional storytelling, allowing listeners to understand the experiences of the victims and their families.
Episode length: Typically 45–75 minutes.
Best for: The podcast is especially popular among listeners who simultaneously follow YouTube true crime bloggers and TikTok stories, and those who like podcasts with a scary story atmosphere.
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FAQs on the best comedy podcasts
What are the funniest podcasts for a commute?
Here are some of the funniest podcasts that are perfect for commuting — the episodes are dynamic, light, and guaranteed to lift your spirits: 'Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend' features self-mocking, funny conversations with stars that will make you laugh even in traffic, or 'Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!' is a humorous quiz show with news that will energize you for the whole day. There's also 'SmartLess,' a podcast featuring three actor friends. The show's trick is that one of the hosts invites a secret guest each time, and the others only discover their identity during the recording.
Are there short comedy podcasts for busy people?
There are more options now, as not everyone is ready to listen to hour-long conversations. Some of the popular short comedy podcasts include 'The Skewer,' a satirical digest of the news, lasting about 15-20 minutes. There's also '2 Dope Queens' (short segments), where you can find individual funny stories for 15-20 minutes, and 'Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4.' This has weekly episodes of satire, lasting 25-30 minutes.
Can I listen to comedy podcasts offline?
Yes, you can listen to comedy podcasts on almost all popular platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts). These platforms allow you to download episodes for offline listening, which is handy if you're on the go, traveling, or don't want to waste your mobile data. Usually, you just need to click the 'Download' or 'Save for Offline' button next to the episode.
Are video versions of comedy podcasts available?
Some comedy podcasts have video versions, which you can watch on YouTube or through Patreon subscriptions. For example, 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' 'Bad Friends,' and 'This Past Weekend with Theo Von' all release full video episodes. Some shows even add visuals, memes, or reactions for even more humor.
What comedy podcasts are suitable for the whole family to listen to?
Yes, there are family comedy podcasts without crude jokes and explicit language. For example, 'Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!' is often suitable for joint listening, and there are also children's and family comedy shows like 'Brains On!' or 'Smash Boom Best.' Before turning on a podcast for children, check the description or episode ratings, because even funny shows can sometimes have themes for an adult audience.