On the axis of cringe comedy, Nathan Fielder’s work on TV series Nathan For You ranks somewhere between Sasha Baron Cohen and Covering Your Eyes and Ears to Escape the Vicarious Embarrassment. But Lila Shapiro’s profile, coming just ahead of Fielder’s return to television, attempts to peel back the layers of artifice between man and world. […]
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“After Hours”: The Oral History of a Cult Classic
“With his career on the ropes, Martin Scorsese fought his way back to the top with a low-budget, surreal black comedy, set in New York’s gritty downtown scene.”
Are We Having Fun Yet?!: The Oral History of ‘Party Down’
“As the Starz comedy makes an unlikely return to air, its creators look back on creating a unique inside-Hollywood workplace sitcom, scrapping through a difficult development period, and getting gold from Adam Scott, Ken Marino, and Jane Lynch.”
What Happens When Dave Chappelle Buys Up Your Town
“As Chappelle’s comedy made him a controversial figure nationally, some of his Ohio neighbors have been getting mad, too.”
Everybody Knows Flo From Progressive. Who Is Stephanie Courtney?
“A polo shirt, a white apron and a retro hairdo changed an actor’s life forever.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Notable longform stories written by David Farrier, Luc Rinaldi, Claire Gagné, Jonathan Weiner, and Dave Holmes.
The Self-Proclaimed Genius of Lil Dicky
“A deep dive into the neurotically immodest mind behind FX’s ‘Dave.’”
Pass It On
“I want something that feels a little out-of-step, a little outside of the tumultuous present.”
Weed Between the Lines: A Longreads Cannabis Collection
No matter how you choose to celebrate this year, take some time to revisit Longreads’ many 420-friendly original pieces and recommendations.
On Different Kinds of Love (and Our Top 5)
“Give me the complicated, the missed connections, the big gestures, the bittersweet endings. Give me the struggle, because it’s the struggle that makes it love.” Yes, today is that day. Dreadful for some of us, but delightful for others. (Especially all the excited school-age kids exchanging “Be My Valentine” messages—which, these days, are no longer […]


