Bob Saget's Here For You

Comedian, actor, and long-time friend Dane Cook joins the podcast for its final episode. Dane shares his journey to the stage, opening up about his battle with social anxiety as a child and how his parents' personalities influenced his acts.

Bob and Dane tackle a share of serious subjects, including their memories of the late Robin Williams and Louis Anderson, how pain can develop into great comedy, and Dane's experience having to put his older half-brother in jail over

After decades in the industry, Dane believes you don't have to be limited to one facet of comedy. With a brand new special on the way this year, Dane continues to cultivate new ideas and projects that allow him to explore areas of his career beyond standup.

Follow Dane on Social Media:

Margaret Cho is an American stand-up comedian, actress, musician, fashion designer, and author. She is a proud Korean American who from her beginnings has discussed social and political problems, often regarding race and sexuality. I met Margaret years back in San Francisco and it was immediately clear to me that she was one special stand-up.

Margaret is an actual legend. She has always been an advocate for the Asian community, the LGBTQ+ community, and basically all good humans. Margaret is a strong, loving, and charming person. This makes her performance skills as a comedian and actress even more accessible and wonderful.

She has many great acting projects coming up. This week, on January 14th, she stars along with Paris Jackson in the premiere of the Hulu movie "Sex Appeal". She’ll also be guest starring in "The Flight Attendant," for three episodes, which stars Kaley Cuoco & Rosie Perez. (Damn, I love that show.) She’s also going to be seen co-starring in Hulu's movie, "Fire Island" with Bowen Yang & Joel Kim Booster later in the summer of 2022. 

Her stand-up career is also stronger than ever—You owe it to yourself to see her on tour—And she has some really cool significant dates coming up soon, like playing The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on May 6 and The Greek Theatre on May 7th as part of the Netflix Is a Joke Comedy Festival. 

Margaret has such a unique voice and has been a strong personal influence in the careers of Ken Jeong and Bowen Yang. After listening to this, you’ll feel the same way I do… You want to be friends with the extraordinary and legendary Margaret Cho. 

Website: MargaretCho.com

Twitter: @margaretcho

Instagram: @margaret_cho

Facebook: @officialmargaretcho

YouTube: @margaretchoofficial

TikTok: @themargaretcho 

When B.J. Novak was 21 years old, he called my manager to see if I would want to be honored by being the guest performer of his school’s comedy show - that he hosted and wrote with other talented comedy seniors.

I was extremely honored and it was then, 21 years ago, I got to meet a young man who has now become one of the dearest people in my entire life, B.J. Novak.

He starts off this podcast with faux jealousy that he hadn’t been a guest sooner, but the truth is, with this new reboot of my podcast, he is actually one of my most special guests personally. We discuss his life post-college, performing his stand-up, which I loved, writing on many shows, his first one being a sitcom I was doing, to being one of the stars of "Punk'd", and then his most life changing role, Ryan Howard, on "The Office". We speak of his acting, writing, and producing of that historical series, and then move on to his major roles in "Inglourious Basterd's", "Saving Mr. Banks", "The Founder", and onto his wonderful FX/Hulu series, "The Premise". It’s so exciting to me that he’s written, produced, and is starring in his upcoming film, "Vengeance". Also, if your kid doesn’t have it, you owe it to them to get B.J.’s Children’s book, "The Book With No Pictures", which has spent 156 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list. Okay, so those are the credits, and impressive as hell they are, but this particular conversation you’re about to listen to is about two friends, how they met, and how much they truly care about each other. I love this guy. Thank God he is so talented, ‘cause it makes it so much easier.

Listen to Bob Saget’s Here For You now: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouPod

Listen Anywhere!

Apple Podcasts: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouApple

Spotify: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouSpotify

Stitcher: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouStitcher

Google: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouGoogle

Follow B.J. Novak:

In November of 2021 the very first one hour special of Aida Rodriguez arrived on HBO Max, called, "Fighting Words". I watched it and was hooked. Obviously, years had gone into making a comedian this savvy and honest and, oh, yes, funny. She got to me on every level. This is a special woman with a very clear and brave path.

In the special, she takes to the stage to address today’s audiences about cancel-culture and the social issues of the day, not just because they’re ripped from the headlines, but because they are in the pages torn out of her personal life. Her family members are in attendance at this show shot in The Bronx. The plan was for her to meet her biological father, whom she met for the first time, on camera.

The hour concludes with a travel documentary of Aida’s trips to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic directed by award-winning Puerto Rican documentarian Nadia Hallgren (Michelle Obama’s "Becoming"). The doc celebrates Rodriguez’s vibrant Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage as the cameras capture her reuniting with her estranged father and paying it forward for up-and-coming comedians. 

Aida is also presently developing her own half hour comedy series with HBO Max based on her own incredible life story, which includes surviving two kidnappings, sexual abuse, and a period of homelessness with her children. The series is co-written and Executive Produced by Rodriguez, Chris Case (Showtime’s "Flatbush Misdemeanors") and Nastaran Dibai (Netflix’s "Dear White People").

In 2019, Aida’s half hour special premiered on Netflix’s hit comedy series "They Ready", Executive Produced by Tiffany Haddish and Wanda Sykes. In reviews, Esquire Magazine declared “This is Rodriguez's genius—using comedy to turn pain into progress, to give voice to the voiceless, and to laugh instead of cry.”

As I’m writing these notes for the podcast, many Broadway shows are not able to come back right now because of the increasing Covid numbers. This podcast was recorded just a couple days ago before "Moulin Rouge!" had to shut down on Thursday and Friday, due to Covid found in the company… Here’s to hoping they’re back safely by the time you’re reading this.

The 10-time Tony winning "Moulin Rouge!" stars my guest today – Recent winner of the Tony this past year for his performance as Harold Zidler in "Moulin Rouge!", Danny Burstein.

Danny is an amazing human being, in literally every sense of the word. And he just also happens to be one of the best actors you could ever dream of seeing on a Broadway stage. Or anywhere.

Danny Burstein has starred in 18 Broadway plays, receiving Tony nominations for "The Drowsy Chaperone" (2006), "South Pacific" (2008), "Follies" (2012), "Golden Boy" (2013), "Cabaret" (2014), and "Fiddler on the Roof" (2016). Burstein has also won two Drama Desk Awards, four Outer Critics Circle Awards, and received three Grammy Award nominations. Burstein's performance in "Moulin Rouge!" also earned him the 2020 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance. His other Broadway credits include "The Seagull" (1992), "Saint Joan" (1993), and "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" (2010). He has also acted in many prominent television shows and movies.

I had the great privilege of meeting Danny when I was chosen as the actor to close the part of ‘Man In Chair,’ following in the footsteps of the brilliant Bob Martin, amongst other gifted actors. Being on stage at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, standing next to Danny - and the rest of the amazing cast - was a gift beyond gifts as an actor. I was intimidated by Danny because he was so damn good. And of course this was the part where he played a Latin lover narcissist, Adolfo, a part for which he was nominated for a Tony. it was one of the funniest characters I had ever seen.

Danny has overcome so many things— and many of them recent. We discuss all of them in this wonderful conversation with one of my dearest friends. We speak of the loss of his wife to ALS, the amazing musical star, Rebecca Luker. We talk of how Danny had to walk himself to the hospital in March 2020 on the verge of death from Covid—and his journey before and since then both personal and professional.

If you’d like to hear a very special open conversation between friends —who love each other —and also get to hear from one of the greatest and most highly respected actors on Broadway, this episode will truly resonate with you.

Get 20% off your first order at Mackweldon.com/BOB Promo Code: BOB

Listen to Bob Saget’s Here For You now: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouPod

Listen Anywhere!

Apple Podcasts: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouApple

Spotify: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouSpotify

Stitcher: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouStitcher

Google: ​https://bit.ly/BobSagetsHereForYouGoogle

Follow Danny Burstein: