“Tony Hinchcliffe’s fame skyrocketed after he made a joke that spooked even Donald Trump. In Texas, I watched how he became the most powerful comic in America.”
comedy
Posted inEditor's Pick
After Lorne
“The ringmaster of ‘Saturday Night Live’ is 80 years old. What happens to the show, not to mention American comedy, when he retires?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Lorne Michaels Is the Real Star of “Saturday Night Live”
“He’s ruled with absolute power for five decades, forever adding to his list of oracular pronouncements—about producing TV, making comedy, and living the good life.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Cole Escola’s Great Day on Broadway
“With their deranged portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln, the actor and writer emerges from the ‘gay shadows’ in a hysterical farce.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Laugh Riot
“To understand Trump’s continuing hold over his fans, we have to ask: Why do they find him so funny?”
Posted inFeature
Who’s Afraid of Lorne Michaels?
Very rarely can we see an entire system reflected in one person. The creator and executive producer of “Saturday Night Live” is such a person.
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Jerk Aficionados
“Playing a sleazy, blustering buffoon the audience loves takes skill—just ask Adam Scott, Ben Stiller, or Julia Louis-Dreyfus.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Tim Robinson and the Golden Age of Cringe Comedy
“His sketch show, ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ zeroes in on the panic-inducing feelings of living in a society where we can’t agree on the rules.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Dril Is Everyone. More Specifically, He’s a Guy Named Paul
“Paul Dochney posted his way into the halls of internet lore. After 15 years of anonymity, can he emerge without compromising his act?”