Estee Adoram: The Gatekeeper of Funny

Estee Adoram is a comedy legend.

You've never seen her on a stage, but every comedian you love has had to earn her approval.

This week, Trevor, Eugene, and Dave sit down with the legendary talent booker of New York City’s famous Comedy Cellar to talk about her four decades discovering comedic talent.

Together, they discuss what it takes to spot greatness before anyone else, how the Cellar has maintained its singular reputation, the evolution of stand-up, the line between comedy and a soapbox, and which rising comedians have her attention today.

If you could ask one question to someone who's helped shape the careers of so many legendary comedians, what would it be?

We'd love to hear it below.

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00:00 - Who's Your Favorite Comedian?
01:02 - Trevor Finally Admits He Was Wrong
12:20 - Meet Estee Adoram
18:30 - How Trevor Met Estee
21:40 - What Makes Someone a Great Comedian?
25:10 - How Estee Spots Future Comedy Legends
31:20 - From Poland to the Comedy Cellar
39:20 - The Biggest Mistake New Comedians Make
43:00 - Why the Comedy Cellar Never Lost Its Magic
47:00 - Treating Superstars Like Everyone Else
56:00 - Why Some Comedians Never Get Better
1:07:00 - Politics, Comedy & The Soapbox Problem
1:17:00 - The Secret Behind Great Stand-Up
1:22:00 - Running Comedy Without Censorship
1:31:00 - Jon Stewart, Chris Rock & The Late-Night Years
1:39:00 - Is Crowd Work Helping or Hurting Comedy?
1:44:00 - The Next Generation of Comedy Stars

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