Josh Gondelman
Who Josh Gondelman is
American stand-up comedian and comedy writer who started in Boston before moving to New York City in 2011. He won four Emmy Awards as a writer on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, was head writer and an executive producer of Showtime's Desus & Mero, and is a regular panelist on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! His specials are People Pleaser (2022, Comedy Dynamics) and Positive Reinforcement (2025, YouTube), and his books include the essay collection Nice Try (2019).
At a glance
- Born
- 1985
- Based in
- Brooklyn, NY
- Stand-up specials
- People Pleaser and Positive Reinforcement
- Albums
- Everything's the Best!, Physical Whisper, Dancing on a Weeknight and 1 more
- Podcasts
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Make My Day with Josh Gondelman, You Blew It! and 1 more
- On screen
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers and 3 more
- Official site
- joshgondelman.com ↗
On stage
No dated show on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now — their own site has their dates: joshgondelman.com ↗.
Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →
Specials, shows and podcasts
Stand-up specials
- People Pleaser 2022, Comedy Dynamics
- Positive Reinforcement 2025, YouTube
Albums
- Everything's the Best! 2011
- Physical Whisper 2016
- Dancing on a Weeknight 2019, Blonde Medicine
- Positive Reinforcement 2025
On screen
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver web producer, then staff writer, 2014–2019
- Conan late-night debut, 2016
- Late Night with Seth Meyers 2018
- Desus & Mero head writer and executive producer, Showtime
- The Late Late Show with James Corden guest
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel stand-up consultant, final season
Podcasts
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! panelist, NPR, 2019–
- Make My Day with Josh Gondelman host
- You Blew It! book, with Joe Berkowitz, 2015
- Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results book, 2019
Comedians like Josh Gondelman
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- Gianmarco Soresi also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Myq Kaplan also in Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Jordan Temple also in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Matthew Broussard also in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Mohanad Elshieky also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Ahamed Weinberg also in Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Ester Steinberg also in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Ian Fidance also in Late Night with Seth Meyers
Career timeline
- 1985Born
- 2011Everything's the Best! (2011) Album
- 2014Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (web producer, then staff writer, 2014–2019) On screen
- 2015You Blew It! (book, with Joe Berkowitz, 2015) Book
- 2016Conan (late-night debut, 2016) On screen
- 2016Physical Whisper (2016) Album
- 2018Late Night with Seth Meyers (2018) On screen
- 2019Dancing on a Weeknight (2019, Blonde Medicine) Album
- 2019Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! (panelist, NPR, 2019–) Podcast or book
- 2019Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results (book, 2019) Book
- 2022People Pleaser (2022, Comedy Dynamics) Special
- 2025Positive Reinforcement (2025, YouTube) Special
- 2025Positive Reinforcement (2025) Album
Questions about Josh Gondelman
Where is Josh Gondelman performing next?
No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now; their own site has their dates: joshgondelman.com ↗.
What stand-up specials have they released?
People Pleaser and Positive Reinforcement.
What podcast do they host?
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Make My Day with Josh Gondelman, You Blew It! and Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results.
What TV shows and films are they in?
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Desus & Mero, The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Where are they based?
Brooklyn, NY, as their record gives it.
When were they born?
In 1985.
Who are some comedians like them?
Gianmarco Soresi (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!), Myq Kaplan (also in Late Night with Seth Meyers), Jordan Temple (also in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Matthew Broussard (also in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Mohanad Elshieky (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!).
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Josh Gondelman ↗ Birth year and place, Boston start, 2011 move to NYC, Last Week Tonight Emmys, Desus & Mero, Wait Wait, albums, late-night debuts, Brooklyn residence
- Josh Gondelman — Bio (official site) ↗ Lives in NYC; head writer/EP of Desus & Mero; four Emmys; People Pleaser (2022) and Positive Reinforcement (2025); books and dates; Make My Day podcast
- Josh Gondelman — Comedy Specials ↗ Positive Reinforcement on YouTube; People Pleaser on VOD
- Josh Gondelman — Schedule ↗ Official tour dates (October 2026 onward)
Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 27 September 2026