Over the past few years, The Daily Show has grown into a cultural phenomenon and a political powerhouse. But when The Daily Show began in 1996, Comedy Central was a tiny network with few cable subscribers. Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show, writes in her new memoir, "Lizz Free or Die," that the show's remarkable success was predicated on the "gold mine of comedy material" on television news.

The glossy world of "Sex and the City" may never have been real, but it seems further from the truth than ever before. Recent college graduates who once flocked to New York for jobs in finance, publishing and the arts are finding themselves making lattes and babysitting to make ends meet. Until now, these once-privileged young men and women were missing from TV. Filmmaker Lena Dunham has set out to change that with her new show, "Girls."

The Takeaway is launching a new podcast series with a distinct UK flavor, or as the English would write "flavour."  Chatter from America is an irreverent review of news and life in the United States, co-hosted by three ex-pat Brits. Every week The Economist's Matthew Bishop, Henry Timms from New York's famous 92nd Street Y and The Takeaway's Femi Oke analyze the news with only the occasional mention of cricket.

February is Black History Month, and comedian Baratunde Thurston wants you to know that it's the perfect time to buy his new book, "How to Be Black." "The odds are high that you acquired this book during the nationally sanctioned season for purchasing black cultural objects, also known as Black History Month," he writes. "If you're like most people, you buy one piece of black culture per year during this month, and I'm banking on this book jumping out at you from the bookshelf or screen." Baratunde Thurston joins Celeste Headlee to discuss his new book: part-memoir, part-satire, part-political commentary.

Louis CK is a veteran stand-up comedian who writes, stars, and frequently directs the cult FX series "Louie." Known among comedy connoisseurs for wittily playing with language and awkward social scenarios, his most recent venture has been to independently produce the feature-length concert film "Live at the Beacon Theatre." Distributed exclusively online, it has earned over one million dollars since its December 10 release. (Watch an outtake from the special after the jump.) Louis CK talks about his special, and gives his predictions for the coming year.

Today on the show, we covered what many would argue is a difficult topic: how the terrorist attacks on 9/11 changed comedy, and how comedy changed the way we've dealt in our own lives with that tragedy. We received a listener's thoughtful take that we had a share with you. Like so many, Air Force reservist Theresa Mickelwait lived out days after the attacks in shock, but she learned to laugh again in a strange venue: entering the wars as part of the military response to the attacks. Below is Mickelwait's take: we hope you'll take a few minutes to read it. —Ben Johnson, interim digital editor

Life changed for most Americans after 9/11, but comedians faced a very specific dilemma: when and how to make people laugh again. Comedic television programs like "Saturday Night Live" and "The Daily Show" struggled with this question as they began their fall seasons in late September of 2001, and comedians like Gilbert Gottfried faced decisions on whether it was appropriate to joke about 9/11 when performing live.

From "Harvey" to "Being There" to "Forrest Gump," one of Hollywood's favorite stock characters is "the wise fool" — the genial dunce who bequeaths life lessons to those characters who have forgotten the simple pleasure of existence. One of this weekend's new releases, "Our Idiot Brother" continues this tradition with star Paul Rudd as an affable stoner who upends his type-A sisters' lives after being arrested for selling marijuana. Rafer and Kristen look back at the history of "the wise fool" in Hollywood movies, and discuss whether "Our Idiot Brother" lives up to its forebearers. 

The eighth season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premieres this Sunday on HBO. The show hinges on star Larry David’s inability — or refusal — to follow social cues. Most of the characters respond to David's antics with passive aggression. But there is one character who consistently faces Larry head on: Susie Greene. Known for her filthy mouth and tendency to scream at other characters, Susie is one of the long-running comedy series' most beloved characters.

This weekend, movie goers are talking about one movie: "Bridesmaids." A new raunchy ensemble comedy, it features a cast that's almost entirely female. "Bridesmaids" stars Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, of "Saturday Night Live" fame, as well as Ellie Kemper from "The Office" and Wendi McLendon-Covey from "Reno 911." Crass to the point of being shocking, some cultural critics are arguing that this could be a watershed moment for women in film and comedy. 

Actor, comedian and all-around funny man Leslie Nielsen died last night from complications of pneumonia at the age of 84 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Nielsen, who was an expert in deadpan and likely best known as a star of slapstick comedy films like "Airplane" and "The Naked Gun," also starred in "Forbidden Planet" and "Poseidon Adventure."

Mark Zuckerberg created the internet phenomenon of a generation, amassed billions of dollars and had a movie made about him ... all by the age of 26. We've been asking listeners: As "Social Network" opens, what would you call the movie about your life at 26? Today we'll take another visit to some of your responses.

Helping us analyze your answers is a man who is another sort of phenomenon in his own right. Comedian Louis CK, creator and star of FX's "Louie," wants to see a sequel to "The Social Network" where Zuckerberg "lives a life of small, simple mistakes that lead him back to zero." Check out Louis CK's website here.

Tonight is the premier of CBS's new comedy, "S#&! My Dad Says," starring William Shatner. His character was inspired by a real life curmudgeon named Sam Halpern. Millions of Americans found their sides splitting while they read his crass and hilarious quips on his son Justin Halpern's Twitter feed. The feed became so popular, Halpern scored a book deal, which shot to the New York Times bestseller list.

What's so funny about Denver?

We are broadcasting today and tomorrow from our member station KUVO in Denver, Colorado, which just so happens to be the humor research capital of the world. There are academics at the University of Colorado who make it their business to figure out what makes things funny. (Tough job, but somebody's got to do it.)

This week Margaret Cho, comedian and star of the Lifetime series 'Drop Dead Diva,' weighs in on our Summer Mixed Tape series.

We all know Joan Rivers as a comedian, talk show host, red carpet personality, writer, and season 2 Celebrity Apprentice winner. But now, the woman famous for asking “Can We Talk?” is adding the job title “documentary subject” to her resume, as well.

You probably have watched comedian Samantha Bee as a correspondent on "The Daily Show" for several years now, but did you know that she was an only child of divorced parents? That she's a Canadian with two children and another on the way? That she was introduced to sex at the tender age of 7? Oh, and she once worked in a penis clinic too.  

That unorthodox childhood and life certainly inform Bee's comedy, and has now served as material for her new memoir, I Know I Am, But What Are You?.

In honor of “MacGruber,” which hits theatres nationwide today, we look at the best and worst movies based on Saturday Night Live sketches – from "The Blues Brothers" (quite successful) to "It's Pat" (called "shockingly unfunny") and ask: What makes for a good SNL movie? The story? The characters? The acting?

Following an aggressive Internet campaign by the actress's fans, Betty White, is set to host Saturday Night Live this weekend.  The 88-year-old actress will join Jay-Z on the show. Comedian Whitney Cummings talks about good comedy, and why the golden girl's still got it.

Twenty years ago this weekend, a new sketch comedy show, "In Living Color," made its debut on the then-fledgling network, Fox.