How a Comedy Legacy Shapes Today’s Industry: Zoe Friedman’s Mission
Release Date: 03/23/2026
Chef Steve Samson on Rosso Blu, Bologna, Gnocchi, and the Real Cost of Running a Restaurant
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Chef Steve Samson on Rosso Blu, Bologna, Gnocchi, and the Real Cost of Running a Restaurant The Italian Food Secret LA Has Been Hiding This week on Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with Michelin-recognized chef and restaurateur Steve Samson for a rich, hilarious, and deeply personal conversation about Italian food, the restaurant life, and what it really takes to build something lasting in Los Angeles. Steve is the chef and co-owner of Rosso Blu in downtown LA, a Bolognese-inspired restaurant that Rich and Sarah recently visited and could not...
info_outline
Apparitions, the FBI and a Bottle of Chardonay with Jennifer M Shaffer
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Jennifer M Shaffer Talks Apparitions, the FBI and a Bottle of Chardonay Comedians Sarah J. Halstead and Rich Chassler pop a 2021 Gentleman Farmer 100% Chardonnay and pour it out with Jennifer M. Shaffer internationally recognized intuitive, spiritual medium, medical intuitive, and former stockbroker-turned-triathlete who’s worked with the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and Dark Web Division. They cover ADHD-approved Chardonnay, 800 bottles stashed in kitchen drawers, the secret to a 30-year marriage, why Jennifer never watches the news, the French Bulldog bedspread that cracked an FBI fentanyl...
info_outline
Keith Reza on Comedy, Fame, and Never Giving Up
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Keith Reza on Comedy, Fame, and Never Giving Up This week on Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with comedian, actor, writer, and podcaster Keith Reza for a funny, candid, and inspiring conversation about building a career in comedy, staying persistent in entertainment, and carving out your own voice in a brutally competitive business. With roots in stand-up, a long-running podcast of his own, and years spent learning from the legendary Norm Macdonald, Keith brings the kind of behind-the-scenes perspective comedy fans love. From the grind of live comedy...
info_outline
Inside Darren Carter's Laugh Factory Slot 19 Strategy
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Inside Darren Carter's Laugh Factory Slot 19 Strategy Comedian Darren Carter joins Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler for a coffee-fueled masterclass on building a stand-up career in the social media age. Carter pulls back the curtain on nearly four decades of comedy, from his Fresno forensics team days to headlining the Laugh Factory, Comedy Central, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and booking a Showtime special after landing a Miller Beer national commercial as only his third audition. The trio dives into his headshot story (shot by a Fresno photographer who drove a van down to LA to shoot...
info_outline
David Leaf on Brian Wilson, SMiLE & The Beach Boys
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
David Leaf on Brian Wilson, SMiLE & The Beach Boys In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome back acclaimed writer, filmmaker, and UCLA professor David Leaf for a funny, wide-ranging, and surprisingly moving conversation about music, storytelling, teaching, and his deeply personal friendship with Brian Wilson. What starts with mocktails and comedy banter turns into a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Pet Sounds, SMiLE, The Beatles, and what it really means to devote your life to great art.David shares how he moved to Los Angeles...
info_outline
Lesley Wolff on Hollywood Casting, Comedy & Acting Careers
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Lesley Wolff on Hollywood Casting, Comedy & Acting Careers In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with casting director, producer, teacher, comedian, and actor Lesley Wolff for a fast, funny, insider-heavy conversation about casting, stand-up, commercials, creative survival, and how the entertainment business really works. The episode starts over a Michigan rosé and quickly turns into a candid, hilarious talk about commercial auditions, stage moms, acting insecurity, networking, comedy culture, and why visibility can matter as much as...
info_outline
Mateen Stewart Gets Real on Comedy, Rejection & Bigger Doors
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Mateen Stewart Gets Real on Comedy, Rejection & Bigger Doors In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome comedian, actor, and producer Mateen Stewart for a hilarious and wide-ranging conversation over BuzzBox cocktails. The episode kicks off with sports fandom, Detroit pride, Knicks talk, and the emotional damage of being a lifelong Lions fan before shifting into Mateen’s path through acting, theater, summer camps, and eventually stand-up comedy. As the conversation unfolds, Mateen shares how a simple goal to try three minutes at an open...
info_outline
She Did Fallon While Raising Twin Boys?! | Jessica Keenan on Comedy, Motherhood & Chaos
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
She Did Fallon While Raising Twin Boys?! | Jessica Keenan on Comedy, Motherhood & Chaos In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome comedian, writer, actress, mother, and now homeowner Jessica Keenan for a hilarious and refreshingly honest conversation about stand-up comedy, motherhood, ambition, marriage, wine, and trying to keep your identity intact while juggling all of it. The episode opens with a playful conversation about launching the show on YouTube, dealing with comments online, and a passionate breakdown of the featured wine before...
info_outline
We Launched Our YouTube Channel | Comedy, Champagne, New York Stories & Married Life
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
We Launched Our YouTube Channel | Comedy, Champagne, New York Stories & Married Life In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler catch up on everything happening behind the scenes from the launch of their new YouTube channel to comedy shows, New York stories, burnout, voting, marriage, taxes, and of course, what they’re drinking. Over a bottle of Andre Delorme Blanc de Blanc, the conversation bounces from hilarious married-host banter into a genuinely interesting deep dive on sparkling wine, including champagne history, aging on the lees, riddling...
info_outline
Bob Kushell on The Simpsons, Stand Up, and Starting Over in Hollywood
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Bob Kushell on The Simpsons, Stand Up, and Starting Over in Hollywood What happens when a veteran TV comedy writer steps away from the writers’ room and starts over in stand-up? In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, hosts Sarah Halstead and Rich Chasler sit down with legendary television writer, producer, showrunner, and comedian Bob Kushell for a funny, candid, and deeply personal conversation about comedy, Hollywood, reinvention, and finding your voice again. Bob Kushell shares stories from his incredible career writing and producing some of television’s most iconic shows,...
info_outlineHow a Comedy Legacy Shapes Today’s Industry: Zoe Friedman’s Mission
Hosts Sarah J. Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with Zoe Friedman, comedy industry veteran, co-founder of Comedy Gives Back, former Late Show with David Letterman talent booker, and daughter of legendary Improv founder Budd Friedman. Zoe didn’t just grow up around comedy she grew up inside it, doing cartwheels on stage during Andy Kaufman’s Children’s Cabarets and getting homework help from Richard Pryor at the bar. From talent booking at Letterman to VP of Development at Comedy Central to co-founding the only nonprofit dedicated solely to the financial, mental health, and recovery needs of stand-up comedians, Zoe’s life is a master class in turning a legacy into a lifeline. This episode is a rich, warm, and illuminating conversation about the business behind the laughs, the people who make comedy possible, and why giving back to the comedy community isn’t just important, it's essential.
Guest Bio
Zoe Friedman is a Los Angeles-based comedy executive, co-founder of Comedy Gives Back, and one of the entertainment industry’s most respected behind-the-scenes forces. The daughter of Budd Friedman, who opened the first comedy club in America The Improvisation in New York City in 1963, Zoe literally grew up in the greenrooms and bar stools of stand-up history, rubbing shoulders with Richard Pryor, Jay Leno, Andy Kaufman, and Jerry Seinfeld before most kids knew what a punchline was.
Zoe launched her professional career as a talent booker and producer for the Late Show with David Letterman (1992–2000), helping shape one of the most iconic comedy platforms in television history. She then moved to Comedy Central as Director of Development, rising to VP of Development & Original Programming, before consulting for Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2012–2014) as a comedian development specialist earning the nickname “the Comic Whisperer” for her rare ability to connect with and develop stand-up talent.
In 2010, alongside co-founders Amber J. Lawson and Jodi Lieberman, Zoe co-founded Comedy Gives Back the only 501©(3) nonprofit dedicated exclusively to stand-up comedians. The organization has granted over $1 million to more than 1,000 comedians, providing financial crisis relief, mental health therapy (in partnership with Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services), and chemical dependency treatment. She is also a co-producer of The Improv: 50 Years Behind the Brick Wall, a documentary featuring Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Judd Apatow.
Connect with Zoe
Instagram: @wowiezowie … https://www.instagram.com/woweezowie
Facebook … https://www.facebook.com/zoefriedman
Website … comedygivesback.com … https://comedygivesback.com/
Chapters
| 0:00 | Opening, podcast growth milestones, host check-in |
| 3:02 | Wine story and guest introduction welcoming Zoe Friedman |
| 5:48 | Legacy of comedy: growing up at The Improv, Budd Friedman’s founding story |
| 11:26 | The evolution of comedy how the industry has shifted over decades |
| 17:15 | Business dynamics in comedy: booking, deals, and personal reflections |
| 22:52 | Childhood aspirations, early influences, and formative comedy memories |
| 28:29 | The currency of laughter what comedy means as a cultural force |
| 30:15 | The craft of stand-up: what makes a great comedian |
| 32:22 | The evolution of comedy and its modern challenges |
| 35:12 | Behind the scenes of comedy booking (Letterman, Kimmel, Comedy Central) |
| 37:15 | The importance of opportunity discovering and developing comedians |
| 41:09 | Comedy Gives Back: origin story, mission, and what the org provides |
| 47:24 | Supporting comedians in crisis mental health, financial relief, recovery |
| 50:05 | Building a sustainable future for the comedy community |
Projects & Resources Mentioned
| Project / Resource | Description | Link |
| Comedy Gives Back | 501©(3) nonprofit — financial relief, mental health & recovery for comedians | |
| Entertainment Community Fund | Support org for actors & entertainment workers | |
| MusicCares | Music industry equivalent of Comedy Gives Back |
Calls to Action
-
🌐 Visit comedygivesback.com to learn more, donate, or apply for support
-
🎭 Encourage your local comedy clubs to partner with Comedy Gives Back’s Club Network
-
🤝 Share resources and CGB information with struggling comedians in your network
-
❤️ Follow & support Zoe: @wowiezowie on Instagram | Facebook
🍷 Featured Beverage
Wine for this episode — pair it with a conversation worth savoring.
🎙️ Hosts
FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS!
Sarah
IG @sarahhalstead https://www.instagram.com/sarahhalstead/?hl=en
FB @sarahjhalsteadcomic https://www.facebook.com/sarahjhalsteadcomic/
X @sarahjhalstead https://twitter.com/sarahjhalstead
Website @SarahHalstead | sarahjhalstead.com
Rich
IG @richchassler https://www.instagram.com/richchassler/
FB @chasslerfans https://www.facebook.com/Chasslerfans/
X @richchassler https://x.com/richchassler
Website richardchassler.com
📧 drinkingduringbusinesshours@gmail.com
🎧 Please rate & review the podcast on your favorite platform — it helps more than you know!
#DrinkingDuringBusinessHours #ZoeFriedman #ComedyGivesBack #TheImprov #BuddFriedman #StandUpComedy #ComedyPodcast #MentalHealth #Philanthropy #LettermanShow #ComedyCentral #GivingBack