Best Comedy Podcasts: Seven Shows, Picked by Format and Mood

Funny is hard to choose.

Search for comedy podcasts and you get thousands of them, and every show promises a good time. As a full-service podcast production agency, we also look at how they are made.

I read seven live Apple Podcasts listings on October 12, 2026, and grouped the best comedy podcasts by format and mood. These are good podcasts comedy fans keep replaying. Use the table to find your first episode in under a minute.

How I picked these comedy podcasts

My filter was simple: no live Apple page, no entry. For each show I opened its page on October 12, 2026 and noted the host, publisher, episode count, rating and usual length.

I did not try to crown the funniest show, because funny is personal. Instead I sorted by format. A brilliant two hour show is the wrong choice for a 20 minute commute.

Every show here is marked Explicit on Apple. If you listen at work or with kids nearby, use headphones and preview an episode first.

I also looked at each show as a production problem. A comedy podcast has to keep jokes landing for an hour, week after week. The way these teams do that is useful to anyone building a branded show.

The quick comparison

All counts, ratings and lengths come from Apple on the date above. They move weekly, so read them as rough scale.

The seven comedy podcasts

1. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Conan O’Brien hosts a weekly talk where he hangs out with guests he enjoys and hopes to make real friends. Apple lists 743 episodes, a 4.8 rating from more than 58,000 ratings and an Explicit tag.

The show lives in the gap between a polished TV interview and a loose chat. Apple notes it has none of the limits of his television work. Recent full episodes run about an hour, with shorter ones around 20 to 35 minutes.

It suits listeners who like celebrity conversation with a dry, self-mocking host. It is a weaker fit if you want fast, scripted jokes. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

2. SmartLess

Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett run a simple trick. One host reveals a mystery guest to the other two, and the conversation that follows is improvised. Apple lists 381 episodes and a 4.6 rating.

Episodes sit between roughly 55 minutes and just over an hour, which makes the show easy to plan around. It updates weekly, and a paid tier gives early, ad-free episodes.

It suits people who like banter between friends and a guest who is surprised. Skip it if you want a deep dive on one topic. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

3. Comedy Bang Bang

Scott Aukerman hosts a comedy interview show with an open-door policy for odd visitors, who chat and play games. Apple says the show is in its 15th year and has led to spin-off podcasts, a bestselling book and a television series.

Recent episodes run about 1 hour 7 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes, so it needs a real time slot. The humor leans on improv and characters, not on plain interviews.

It suits fans of improv and absurd humor. It is a harder first listen for anyone who wants a straight talk show. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

4. My Brother, My Brother And Me

Griffin, Justin and Travis McElroy answer questions on how to live life, and the questions rarely get a serious answer. Apple lists 849 episodes, a 4.9 rating and a weekly Monday release.

Episodes run close to an hour. Because the show has run since 2010, the back catalog is huge, so start with a recent episode and go back only if you like the tone.

It suits people who love running jokes and brotherly chaos. It is less useful if you want advice you can actually follow. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

5. How Did This Get Made?

Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas watch and discuss bad movies, from box office flops to 1980s action films and Lifetime thrillers. Guests join now and then.

Apple shows 399 episodes, weekly new releases on Fridays and classic episodes re-released on Tuesdays. Recent episodes range from about 36 minutes to 1 hour 36 minutes.

It suits movie fans who enjoy picking things apart. You will enjoy it more if you have seen, or at least know, the film in question. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

6. Office Ladies

Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, co-stars and friends, rewatch The Office one episode at a time and share behind-the-scenes stories. Apple lists 491 episodes and a 4.8 rating from about 85,000 ratings.

The show also includes interviews, fan questions and Second Drink episodes. Recent episodes run from about 49 minutes to 1 hour 36 minutes.

It suits anyone who loves the sitcom and wants the story behind each scene. It makes little sense if you have never seen the show. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

7. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Dax Shepard and Monica Padman talk with guests about the messiness of being human, with a focus on vulnerability and growth. Apple lists about 1,100 episodes and a 4.6 rating.

Recent episodes run from about 54 minutes to 2 hours 39 minutes, and the show also airs Armchair Anonymous episodes where the hosts talk with listeners.

It suits listeners who want long, personal interviews with a funny edge. It is the longest pick on this list, so plan your time. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

Which comedy podcast fits your mood?

Comedy podcast formats: which kind fits you?

Most roundups mix every comedy podcast into one pile. Riverside’s list sorts picks into stand-up, celebrity interviews, storytelling and rewatch commentary. Reader’s Digest uses categories such as news satire, advice and sitcom rewatches. Neither shows how the format changes your listening.

Here is how the seven shows here break down. Think of comedy podcast formats as five lanes.

• Interview. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend and Armchair Expert are the best comedy interview podcasts on this list. A host talks with one guest, and the laughs come from the exchange.
• Improv. Comedy Bang Bang and SmartLess build the conversation on the spot. SmartLess adds a mystery guest.
• Advice. My Brother, My Brother And Me answers questions with jokes, not answers.
• Panel. How Did This Get Made? has several comics pick apart one bad movie.
• Rewatch. Office Ladies walks through one sitcom episode at a time.

I have found that people pick the wrong show because they pick the wrong lane. A fan of quiet conversation will bounce off improv. A fan of absurd characters will find a plain interview flat. Choose the lane first, then the show.

If a comedian podcaster is your goal, start with the interview lane. Hosts there often talk about how they build their craft. If you want comedy podcasts to listen to on a short commute, start with the shows that have shorter episodes in the table above.

Before you press play: rating, length and release day

Reader’s Digest flags only one show as explicit. Shortlist gives few lengths and no ratings. Both leave out what a busy listener needs to know before pressing play. I checked each show’s Apple page for three things.

• Rating. All seven are marked Explicit on Apple Podcasts. None of them is a kids’ pick.
• Length. Episodes run from about 20 minutes to 2 hours 39 minutes. The shortest picks are some Conan O’Brien episodes. The longest are Armchair Expert and Comedy Bang Bang.
• Release day. Most update weekly. My Brother, My Brother And Me posts on Mondays. How Did This Get Made? posts new episodes on Fridays and classics on Tuesdays.

Use this as a quick filter. If you listen on a 20 minute commute, avoid the two longest shows. If you listen with others in the room, use headphones. If you want a show that drops on a set day, pick one from the weekly list.

Sorting by rating also helps in another way. Apple star scores in the 4.6 to 4.9 range all look alike. A score tells you fans like a show, not that you will. Use length and format to decide, then use the score as a tiebreaker.

What makes comedy podcasts work: the Laugh Engine

After reading seven listings, I noticed that these shows run on the same engine. I call it the Laugh Engine, and it has three parts: format, chemistry and cadence.

• Format. Each show has a repeatable shape. SmartLess has a mystery guest. How Did This Get Made? has a bad movie. Office Ladies has one sitcom episode at a time. A listener knows what they will get.
• Chemistry. Four of the seven shows are built on hosts who are friends, co-stars or family. The listener is eavesdropping on a relationship.
• Cadence. Most update weekly, and some add a second weekly slot, such as classic re-releases. Regular timing builds habit.

Here is the counterintuitive part. Length does not predict the best comedy shows. Episodes on this list range from about 20 minutes to more than two and a half hours. What they share is a promise that does not change from week to week.

That is also the lesson for brands. A branded show does not need to be funny. It needs a repeatable shape that a listener can describe in one sentence.

Three comedy mistakes brands should not copy

Comedy shows can look easy. Their mistakes are easy to copy too. Naming them helps you avoid them.

• The Inside-Joke Wall. A show relies so heavily on running jokes that a new listener feels shut out. Comedy veterans can get away with it. A new business show cannot.
• The Guest Parade. Every episode is a famous guest with no shared theme. Listeners come for the guest and leave when the guest is gone. Give the show a point of view.
• The Marathon Without a Map. Long episodes are fine when the listener knows what to expect. Without chapters or a clear shape, a two hour episode feels like a chore.

If your goal is leads, not laughs, read our guide to B2B podcast best practices. It covers formats that work for business buyers.

Why video is changing how comedy podcasts reach people

Several of these shows are filmed as well as recorded. That reflects where listeners are. In March 2026, Tubefilter covered Edison Research’s Infinite Dial and its record figure: 80% of people in the US aged 12 and up have listened to or watched a podcast.

YouTube also said in February 2025 that more than 1 billion people watch podcasts on its platform each month, as of January 2025. The company did not define the term, so read the number as a signal, not a precise count.

For a comedy show, video matters because facial reactions are half the joke. For a business show, video gives you short clips for social posts. A good editing process turns one recording into several formats.

What the best comedy podcasts get right about production

Comedy is a timing business, and timing is an editing job. A pause that is too long kills a joke. A cut that is too tight makes a conversation feel rushed. The shows above all sound clean, and that is not an accident.

Clean audio keeps the listener in the room. If a guest sounds thin or distant, the laugh does not land. A good recording workflow, such as how to record a podcast with local backups, protects the material before editing begins.

If you plan to start your own show, a production partner can handle format, recording and editing so your team can focus on the talking. Our podcast launch service is built for this.

What I cannot tell you

If you enjoy these, our other lists cover true crime podcasts and history podcasts, grouped the same way. For the money side of a brand show, see the cost breakdown.

I cannot tell you which show will make you laugh. Taste in comedy is personal, and Apple’s ratings measure how many fans left a score, not how funny a show is. The listings also change weekly.

My advice is simple. Pick two shows from the table that fit your mood and your commute. Listen to one recent episode of each, and keep the one you would play again.

Conclusion

The best comedy shows share three things: a format you can describe in one sentence, hosts with real chemistry and a steady schedule. That is the Laugh Engine, and it works for brand shows as well.

Pick one show from the table and listen to a recent episode tonight. If you are planning your own show, you can book a call and we will map the format with you.

Strategy-first. Production second. Growth always.

Sources

• Riverside, Best comedy podcasts (checked Oct 13, 2026)
• Reader’s Digest, Best comedy podcasts (checked Oct 13, 2026)
• Shortlist, Best comedy podcasts (checked Oct 13, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, SmartLess (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Comedy Bang Bang (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, My Brother, My Brother And Me (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, How Did This Get Made? (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Office Ladies (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Tubefilter, Edison Infinite Dial 2026 report (Mar 20, 2026) (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• YouTube Official Blog, 1 billion monthly podcast users (Feb 26, 2025) (checked Oct 12, 2026)