Okay, so imagine this for a second. You've got
someone who can absolutely kill it on stage doing
stand -up, make you laugh till you cry. But then,
the next minute, they're writing award -winning
stuff for a huge TV show. Right, totally different
skill. And then maybe they pop up acting in a
show you love, like a sitcom. Yeah, you see them
on screen. And on top of all that, they're maybe...
stirring things up online, causing a bit of a
frenzy. Sometimes all at once. Exactly. It's
like, wow. That's not just being talented. That's
like being an architect of modern comedy, someone
who really gets the whole landscape. It really
is quite something, isn't it? To just jump between
all those roles, writer, performer, producer,
online personality. Not just dabble, but actually
be good at all of them. I mean, that says a lot
about talent, obviously, but also serious skill,
right? And maybe a bit of nerve, too. Oh, definitely
some nerve. So today, that's what we're diving
into. We're doing a deep dive into the world
of Joseph Monday. Joe Monday, yeah. He was born
March 16th, 1983. So that makes him what? 42
now. Sounds about right. An American comedian,
actor, screenwriter. Yeah. The definition of
multi -hyphenate. He really is. He's not just
sort of participating. He feels like he's actively
shaping things in stand -up TV, the internet.
Yeah, like a real influence. And what's really
striking, I think, is he leaves a mark. You know,
it's not just ticking boxes. His career path,
it's like a case study in how comedy talent works
now, how you navigate everything. Totally. And
for our journey today, our main guide is his
Wikipedia entry, which honestly is surprisingly
detailed. Yeah. Sometimes it can be a bit thin.
No. This was pretty comprehensive. It lays out
the whole breadth of his career, professional
stuff, even a bit of personal background. It's
got dates, awards, projects, gives us a really
solid base to work from. That's great. And for
someone with a career that jumps around as much
as his does, having a well put together source
like that is, well, it's super helpful. It lets
you trace how things connect. You know, see the
progression from like one thing to the next,
like a roadmap for his his whole evolution. Exactly.
So our mission today basically is to unpack all
these layers of Joe Mendoza's career, not just
list his credits, but really explore how he went
from, say, being known as this kind of Internet
provocateur to becoming an Emmy winning producer.
We want to trace that path from. Albuquerque,
New Mexico, all the way to the top of the comedy
game. And maybe try to understand some of those
weirder terms, right? The controversial stuff,
the public persona. Yeah, definitely want to
get into that too. Because it feels like it's
all connected. It usually is. And hopefully,
you know, for you listening, this gives some
insight, not just into Monday, but into how comedy
works today, how you build a career like that,
the business side of being creative in Hollywood.
For sure. So we'll highlight the different roles
in front of the camera, behind it. We'll definitely
unpack the awards because, spoiler, there are
quite a few. And yeah, we'll dig into that unique,
sometimes, let's say, challenging relationship
he had with platforms like Quitter. Right. And
you'll see how maybe his early life of his education
kind of set the stage for this really distinct
comedic voice he developed. So yeah, let's dig
in. All right, let's do it. OK, starting at the
beginning, early foundations. So Joseph Manday,
born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 16th,
1983. But the thing that jumps out immediately
is his parents. His dad, Louis Manday, was a
lawyer. His mom, Debra Mande, was a judge. Wow,
okay. A lawyer and a judge. That's intense. Right.
It's such a specific, like, logic -driven, a
household environment, you'd imagine. How do
you think growing up with that might have shaped
him, comedically speaking? Well, it's hard not
to speculate, isn't it? I mean, you'd guess it
fosters a certain kind of critical thinking,
like razor sharp. Lawyers and judges, they're
all about analyzing things, right? Observing
people, dissecting arguments, understanding behavior,
often in, like, high -stakes situations. Totally.
It's not just noticing things, it's breaking
them down. Exactly. It's like forensic observation,
looking at facts, logic, persuasion. Maybe for
Manday, that meant he didn't just see something
funny, he could build a case for why it was funny.
Or ridiculous. Like a comedy prosecutor. A comedy
prosecutor. I like that. So, yeah, let's just
haha and more like, here's the systematic reason
this is absurd. That kind of fits with some of
his more, you know, biting satire. where he really
takes something apart. I mean, think about it,
parents constantly weighing evidence, questioning
motives. It's got to give you a sense of irony,
right? Maybe a willingness to question things,
challenge norms, maybe even get comfortable with
intellectual sparring. Definitely. Those are
all key tools for a comedian, especially one
who wants to do more than just tell jokes. It's
about having a perspective, making an argument
through humor. Right. And you see that, I think,
in his comedy, especially maybe the early online
stuff and his stand -up, too. It's that sharp,
dissecting quality, not just saying, this is
funny, but understanding why, the mechanics behind
it, the social weirdness, that analytical thing,
wanting to take things apart and put them back
together. Yeah. I can totally see that coming
from a household where logic and understanding
human flaws were just like, Everyday stuff. Maybe
even explains why he was okay with controversy
later. Like he was used to arguments. Possibly.
Used to scrutiny, maybe. Having your ideas tested.
Makes sense. And then, another piece. At age
10, he moves. From Albuquerque to St. Paul, Minnesota.
Seems like a small detail, but moving during
those formative years. Yeah, that can have an
impact. Right. Maybe makes you more adaptable.
Or gives you that kind of outsider's view. Makes
you better at reading new situations. It definitely
can. It forces you to, like, observe more keenly,
right? Figure out the new rules, new social dynamics.
You become a quicker study. Which is gold for
a comedian. Pure gold. That constant recalibration.
It hones your awareness of different little cultural
things, different ways people act. Adds to that
well -rounded perspective he seems to have. Okay,
so that's the upbringing. Then education. He
graduated from Central High School in 2001. Then
he goes to Emerson College in Boston. and gets
a BFA in writing. Emerson, yeah. That's a big
deal for creative writing, especially comedy
adjacent stuff. Exactly. A BFA in writing isn't
just a general arts degree. It's specific. It's
focused training. Totally. It signifies a deep
dive into the mechanics of storytelling. It's
not just about being naturally funny, which he
clearly is. It's about understanding... Joke
structure, character arcs, narrative beats, how
to build comedy scene by scene, you know, the
craft. The actual nuts and bolts. Yeah. Skills
that are crucial, whether you're doing five minutes
of standup where every single word matters, or
you're in a writer's room breaking a whole season
of TV. It's formal training and making people
laugh, but also making them think. So how do
you think that specific training, that BFA, really
helped him, like with standup bits versus a TV
writer's room? What skills really paid off? Well,
for stand -up, it's about things like pacing,
the rhythm of language, how to build a cohesive
set that feels like more than just random jokes.
Setup, punchline, tags. Structure. Structure,
exactly. And how to edit yourself. Be ruthless.
A writing program teaches that. Then in a writer's
room, those skills are directly applicable. Breaking
stories, developing characters with distinct
voices, collaborating on scripts. Right, the
tea -work aspect of it. Yeah. It means he probably
walked into those rooms with more than just funny
ideas. He had a toolkit, you know, for actually
constructing comedy narratives, ensuring quality,
made him valuable right away, I'd imagine. He
knew how to apply rigor to funny. I can totally
see that. That foundation, the family background,
the formal writing education, it really sets
a strong base. Okay, so he's got this foundation.
Now, this is where it gets really fun. How he
starts making a name for himself. The rise of
the digital comedian and stand -up star. And
the first big splash, maybe the thing that put
him on the map initially, was that website. Look
at this fucking hipster. Oh yeah, I remember
that. Classic. Right. Created April 2009. Yeah.
And the origin story is just perfect comedy in
itself. Apparently he started it just to help
his dad figure out who was or wasn't... A hipster.
That's brilliant. So relatable. Like every parent
at that time was probably asking that question.
Totally. And the whole hipster thing was just
peaking then, right? Oh yeah, peak hipster. Mandi
just tapped right into that cultural moment,
that shared feeling of like amusement, maybe
confusion, maybe slight irritation. All of the
above. Yeah, it showed that sharp observational
humor he has, his eye for a trend, his grasp
of the zeitgeist really early on. He saw a thing
and he just nailed it with humor. And it wasn't
just a small thing, it blew up. It became this,
like, cultural touch point. People sending in
photos, debating. Everyone was talking about
it. Yeah. And it had legs, too. Got turned into
a book, same title, look at this fucking hipster.
That's more than just a viral joke. That's seeing
a cultural moment and, like, capitalizing on
it. Almost like being a pop culture anthropologist,
but funny. Totally. And it shows his entrepreneurial
side, too, right? This was before every comedian
had to be a social media mogul. Right, before
it was a standard playbook. Exactly. He just
instinctively got how to use digital platforms
to create something properly viral. He understood
audience engagement, how things spread online.
That experience, watching something just explode
like that. Yeah. Do you think it taught him stuff
about what works online? what gets attention,
maybe even what provokes people that influenced
his later. Twitter stuff. Oh, I think it absolutely
had to. He learned firsthand about online dynamics,
how fast things move, how even silly stuff can
spark huge conversations, good or bad. That early
success probably gave him confidence, showed
him he could tap into that collective vibe, you
know, and how to use the mechanics of sharing
online. It was like getting a blueprint for making
noise online, a blueprint he definitely used
later, maybe more aggressively. Yeah, maybe weaponized
it a bit sometimes. You could say that he understood
the game. Okay, so he's got this digital thing
happening. But at the same time, he's building
a more traditional stand -up career. He released
a comedy album, Bitchface, March 14th, 2014.
Bitchface, right. And this wasn't just like a
standard stand -up album. It was described as
this unique mixed tape style. It had voicemail
messages woven in from this wild list of celebrities.
Yeah, that was such a cool concept. Who was on
it again? Okay, get this. Fabulous. The rapper,
okay. Roy Hibbert, the NBA player. Wow. Jenny
Slate, Nick Kroll, Zezon Sari, fellow comedians.
But then also the RZA from Wu -Tang Clan. The
RZA, no way. And Amy Poehler. It's just such
a mix. That is seriously eclectic. And it says
so much, doesn't it, about his sensibility, his
network? Not just comedians. No. Rappers, athletes,
comedy heavyweights. It shows his connections
across different parts of pop culture and his
ability to pull all those different threads together
into something original. It really felt like
a statement. Like, I'm not just in the comedy
box. Totally. And it speaks to his reputation,
too, right? That people like the RZA and Amy
Poehler are willing to, like, leave a voicemail
for his album. That's respect. What do you think
the point of the voicemails was, comedically?
Well, multiple things probably. One, it adds
this kind of meta layer, right? blurs the line
between the performance and his actual life,
his connections, makes it feel more personal,
like you're getting a peek behind the curtain.
Intimate. Yeah. And two, it creates these unexpected
funny moments, like the sheer randomness of hearing
Fabulous next to, say, Jenny Slate. It's inherently
amusing. The juxtaposition, yeah. Exactly. And
it reinforces that idea that he's tapped into
this. diverse, interesting world, which kind
of mirrors the range of his own comedy. Okay,
so the mixtape album was unique. Then, fast forward
a few years, 2017, he gets a Netflix special,
Joe Momande's award -winning comedy special.
Ah, yes, the award -winning special, which is
a joke in itself, the title. Right. But getting
a Netflix special, especially back then, that
was huge for a comedian. Oh, absolute massive.
That was the period when Netflix specials were
really becoming the thing, the gold standard.
Yeah, seemed like everyone wanted one. It gave
you a global platform, instantly cemented your
status way beyond just playing clubs or doing
late night spots. And he'd done those smaller
TV spots already, right? Like the half hour on
Comedy Central, best week ever, kind of. Exactly.
So the Netflix special was the clear next step
up. It showed he could hold an hour, that his
standup had reached that next level, definitely
marked his as a major voice in stand -up comedy.
Okay, so he's conquering digital, conquering
stand -up. Mm -hmm. But like we said, he's this
multi -hyphenate. And his behind -the -scenes
work as a writer or producer is arguably where
he's made his biggest mark. Yeah, that's where
his versatility really shines. Let's talk Parks
and Recreation. Iconic show. He was a writer
for the last three seasons. Right, seasons five,
six, and seven. Crucial years for that show.
And not just writing, he also acted in it. Seven
episodes is Morris Lurpus. Morris, yeah, the
weird Pawnee resident. Hilarious. So that period,
doing both writing and acting on a show like
Parks and Rec, what does that tell you? It tells
you he's got this, like, holistic understanding
of comedy, right? He can operate effectively
in the writer's room, crafting the jokes, the
stories. But he can also step in front of the
camera and deliver lines, understand performance,
timing, how things actually land on set. That's
a pretty rare combo, especially on a show that
good. And that dual perspective must be so valuable.
Like, as a writer, you know what it feels like
to perform the lines. As an actor, you understand
the writer's intent maybe more deeply. Totally.
It creates this feedback loop. He'd know firsthand
how a line he wrote might play out physically
or how an actor's choice could influence the
writing. especially on Parks, known for that
amazing ensemble and sharp writing. Yeah, such
a high bar. Being immersed in that environment,
working with people like Mike Schurr, Amy Poehler,
the whole cast and crew, that's like getting
a PhD in TV comedy. It had to sharpen his skills
immensely. And you see Morris Lurpus, this kind
of... bizarre, tangential character. Manday writing
and playing him gives him this intimate control
over how that specific brand of weirdness lands.
Exactly. It was probably a crucial launching
pad for everything that came next in his writing
and producing career. And came next is putting
it mildly. His credits just explode after that.
And across such different types of shows, he
worked for Kroll Show on Comedy Central. Which
is pure sketch, character driven, often really
absurd. Right. And also delocated on Adult Swim.
Which is something else entirely. That weird
deadpan, witness protection program, mockumentary
thing, animated sort of. So different. Yeah.
Going from the warmth of parks to the absurdity
of Kroll to the, like, unsettling vibe of delocated.
It really hammers home his adaptability. He's
not just doing one kind of comedy. He can clearly
write for optimistic satire, character sketches,
surreal animation. He gets different comedic
languages. That's impressive range. And it doesn't
stop. He was a producer on the first season of
Aziz Ansari's Master of None on Netflix. Highly
acclaimed show, slice of life, more grounded
humor. And he wrote an episode, The Other Man.
Then a huge role on The Good Place, writer and
producer. Another Mike Schur masterpiece. Philosophical
comedy, super smart, intricate plotting. And
he voiced a character too, Todrick Campbell.
Todrick, right. Maximum Derek. And then forever.
on Amazon Prime Video with Fred Armisen and Maya
Rudolph, executive producer on eight episodes,
wrote one called The Lake House. Another show
playing with genre, relationships, kind of existential
themes. It's just, the range is staggering. Parks,
Kroll, Delocated, Master of None, Good Place,
Forever, all critically respected. all very different.
And notice the progression, too, from writer
on Parks to producer on Master of None, writer
producer on Good Place, then executive producer
on Forever. Yeah, more responsibility. Exactly.
He's not just writing jokes anymore. He's shaping
the shows, overseeing things, managing creative
teams, moving from contributing talent to leadership.
That ability to jump between such different styles
and take on bigger roles, that's elite versatility.
He's clearly become this go -to creative force
who can handle different tones and lead projects.
Which brings us to, arguably, the absolute peak
so far. Hacks. Ah, hacks. What a show. He was
co -executive producer, sometimes consulting
producer, for the Max series from 2021 to 2024.
Wrote multiple episodes. Key creative force behind
the scenes. And, once again, not just behind
the scenes. He was in the main cast for the first
two seasons as Ray. Ray, the agent's assistant,
yeah. Again, doing both. That deep involvement
writing, producing, acting on a show as successful
and acclaimed as Hacks. Yeah. What does that
signify? It signifies he's integral, right? He's
woven into the fabric of that show's success.
As Coe P, he's helping shape the big picture,
the season arcs, the tone. As a writer, he's
crafting those specific brilliant scenes. As
an actor, he's living inside the world he's helping
create. That must give him such a unique perspective
on it all. Immense. He can see how a line reads
on the page, how it feels to say it, how it lands
in the edit. It helps ensure that unique hacks
blend of sharp comedy and real emotion translates
perfectly. His fingerprints are all over why
that show works so well. And the industry certainly
agrees. The awards for hacks are where things
really hit another level for him. Yeah, the recognition
is huge. He got a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding
Comedy Series. The big one. at the 76 Emmys,
plus a Producers Guild of America Award and multiple
Writers Guild of America Awards, specifically
for hacks. It's like the trifecta. It absolutely
is the trifecta. Winning the Emmy for Best Comedy,
the PGA for Best Produced Comedy Episode, and
WGA Awards for Best Writing. that's hitting every
major mark. What does that mean, getting all
those top awards for the same show? It means
the entire industry, actors, producers, writers,
recognizes the excellence of the show and his
contribution to it at every level. It cements
his status not just as a great writer, but as
a leader who can help steer a top tier production.
It says he's truly elite. His involvement guarantees
a certain level of quality now. OK, so the behind
the scenes stuff is clearly stellar award winning.
But let's pivot back to his on -screen work,
because he's built up a really interesting acting
footprint too. Yeah, he pops up quite a bit.
We mentioned Morris in Parks and Rec, but he
also had a pretty significant recurring role
on Modern Family, played Ben in 12 episodes between
2015 and 2018. Modern Family, another huge network
hit. Being a recurring guest on shows like that,
Parks and Modern Family, it shows he's got that
reliable comedic presence, right? Yay. He often
plays that slightly awkward, deadpan, maybe a
little off -kilter character. It's a specific
flavor he brings that works really well in those
big ensembles. He's good at being the memorable
oddball. The guy you remember, even if he's only
in a few scenes. Exactly. And then, like we said,
Rayon Hax, main cast for two seasons, being a
main cast member while also being a co -EP and
writer? That's juggling a lot. Seriously. What
does that tell you about his commitment or his
skill set? It tells you he's incredibly comfortable
moving between those roles, maybe even sees them
as feeding each other. Playing Ray, he gets to
embody the world he's writing, which must give
him deeper insights. It's like live R &D for
the show's comedy and character dynamics. He
lived and breathed hacks. Beyond the live action
sitcoms, he does a lot of voice acting, too,
which is a whole different talent. Totally different
skill set. Yeah. He was Todrick Hemple in The
Good Place and the spinoff The Selection. voiced
Branch in Animals. And maybe my favorite, he
voiced Mark Zuckerberg in our cartoon, President.
Zuckerberg, yeah. That's great casting. It really
shows his range, right? Todrick is so specific,
kind of bureaucratic yet chaotic. Zuckerberg
is pure satire. Animals. was its own weird thing.
It absolutely shows vocal versatility. Voice
acting is all about conveying character just
through sound tone, inflection, pacing. You have
no facial expressions or body language to rely
on. So being able to create these distinct characters
from Hempel to Zakk just with his voice, it highlights
his control and his comedic instincts in yet
another medium. He gets how sound alone can be
funny. And he's still acting. He's got upcoming
stuff listed. like Dr. Haber in Running Point
in 2025, and appearings as himself in Everybody's
Live with John Mulaney. Oh, cool. So yeah, his
acting career is definitely ongoing. Keeps putting
him in interesting projects, whether it's scripted
roles or appearing as himself with someone like
Mulaney. It shows he's still very much in demand
on screen. People like his Pacific vibe. He's
also had a couple of film roles, smaller parts,
but in pretty big comedies. Played Joe in The
Interview back in 2014. The Roger and Goldberg
movie, yeah. Controversial one. Todd in The Disaster
Artist in 2017, directed by James Franco. Right.
So again, maybe not huge roles, but being movies
by those guys, Rogin, Goldberg, Franco, it signals
something, doesn't it? Like what? Like he's recognized
within that core group of major comedy players.
He's part of that scene, connected. They trust
him to come in, even for a smaller part, and
add something funny, something distinctive. It's
like a stamp of approval from the film comedy
world. Broadens his reach. OK, so we've got this
picture. Critically acclaimed. writer, producer,
Emmy winner, solid standup, recognizable actor
in TV and film, an incredibly impressive, well
-rounded career. Yeah, really hitting on all
cylinders. But then there's the other side, the
public persona, specifically his time on Twitter,
which was memorable. Memorable is one word for
it. Unfiltered might be another. Definitely unfiltered.
Before he quit, he was pretty well known for
essentially trolling. famous people and companies
online. Yeah, that was kind of his thing for
a while, provocation as performance art, almost.
And he even openly said he bought a lot of his
followers, which is just a weirdly honest or
maybe meta -comedic thing for someone of the
public eye to admit. It really is, and it kind
of plays into that whole persona, right? Like,
commenting on the absurdity of social media fame
itself, even while participating in it, buying
followers, and then telling people you bought
them. It undermines the whole currency of follower
counts. It's like performance art critiquing
the platform from within. It felt like he understood
the game, how to get attention, how to go viral,
and just decided to play it by his own weird
rules. Sometimes using it for comedy, sometimes.
Well, sometimes it got messy. Definitely got
messy sometimes. Like the lacrosse saga. That
was legendary. He just relentlessly tweeted about
wanting to be their spokesperson. Obsessively.
Until they actually sent him a cease and desist
letter. Which is kind of the ultimate punchline
to the bit, isn't it? It's this perfect example
of his style. Taking a silly premise, committing
to it with relentless, absurd persistence, and
pushing it until it breaks into the real world,
forcing a reaction from this big corporation.
It felt like performance art crossing into reality.
A comment on branding, fandom, maybe just pure
annoyance tactics for laughs. Yeah, yeah. All
of the above. A unique blend of humor and maybe
deliberately ignoring corporate boundaries just
to see what happens. And he wasn't afraid of
direct conflict either. Back in 2011, he apparently
started a public argument with the NBA player
Gilbert Arenas. Oh, right. Over Arenas supposedly
deleting a bunch of old sexist tweets. Yeah.
That's not just trolling. That's picking a fight
on, like, ethical grounds. It shows his online
persona wasn't just about random jokes or pranks.
He was willing to use his platform to call people
out, engage in more serious confrontational debates.
It shifted him from just funny internet guy to
someone potentially using humor or just his platform
for social commentary or accountability. But
that can be a tricky line to walk. Extremely
tricky. Especially online, where tone gets lost.
Which leads to maybe the most controversial incident.
2017, that tweet about Barron Trump. Oof. Yeah.
That one caused a huge backlash. He tweeted,
Barron Trump will be mutilating cats on the White
House lawn in like two weeks. and faced massive
accusations of cyberbullying, abusing his platform.
It absolutely crossed a line for a lot of people,
targeting a minor, even satirically, even the
president's son. It hit a nerve. What do you
think the intent was there? Just boundary pushing
gone wrong? Probably. Maybe intended as dark
satire about the political climate, the perceived
chaos. Yeah. But it landed really badly. It starkly
showed the power and the danger of that kind
of provocative online persona. It demonstrated
how easily intent can be misread or just deemed
unacceptable, especially when dealing with sensitive
subjects like kids. It probably contributed to
this idea that his online self could be genuinely
reckless, not just playful. Yeah, a clear example
of how a tweet can blow up and have real consequences
for Definitely. The fallout was significant.
So given all that history, the trolling, the
controversy, the backlash, maybe it's not entirely
surprising that he eventually just quit Twitter.
Right. He posted that note saying he was done
with it. And his reason was pretty blunt. He
called the platform a fucking hellscape. Which
honestly probably resonated with a lot of people
even then. His decision to leave and to label
it so harshly felt like a statement about the
platform itself. About the pressure, the toxicity,
the mental toll of living publicly online, especially
when you're constantly poking the bear. It's
like even the provocateur reached his limit.
Exactly. It suggested that maybe the game wasn't
fun anymore or the cost was too high. It was
a powerful commentary on the state of social
media from someone who had really lived in the
trenches. So he steps away from the hellscape?
Does that hurt his career? Seems like not at
all. If anything, maybe refocusing helped, because
the awards and recognition just kept coming,
especially for his actual creative work. I think
you're right. Maybe stepping away from the noise
allowed his actual talent, the writing and producing,
to really take center stage without the distraction
or the negative baggage of the Twitter persona.
Let the work speak for itself. Yeah. He could
control the narrative again by focusing on the
shows. and the industry clearly responded to
the quality of that work. In the long run, leaving
that hellscape probably boosted his standing
and respect within the industry. The spotlight
shifted back to the craft. And that craft has
been seriously decorated. Let's recap those accolades
because they really do tell a story of consistent
excellence. We mentioned the Emmy nominations
for both The Good Place and Hacks. Multiple nominations
for Outstanding Comedy Series for both shows.
That alone is impressive consistency. Being part
of teams making shows considered among the very
best year after year. It shows you're operating
at the highest level. And then the huge win,
the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series
for Hacks Season 3 in 2024. That's the peak.
The ultimate validation in TV comedy. For him,
as a co -EP and writer, it confirms his integral
role in creating the best comedy show on television,
according to the Academy. It's a massive statement
about his impact. Then there's the Producers
Guild recognition. Nominations for The Good Place
and Hacks seasons one and two. And then the W
win for PGA's Best Episodic Comedy for Hacks
Season 3 in 2024. And the PGA is crucial because
it's producers recognizing producers. It honors
the leadership, the management, the vision needed
to actually get a great show made. Winning that
and the Emmy for the same season, that signals
mastery of both the creative and the practical
sides of production. And finally, the Writers
Guild Awards. his peers, the writers, nominations
going way back to Parks and Recreation in 2012
-2013. Then the good plays in 2018, Hacks season
two in 2022. Shows longevity and respect from
writers over time. But then the WNS for Hacks.
Two wins for season one back in 2021 for new
series and comedy series. That's huge for a first
season. Incredible. Winning both categories right
out of the gate. That's the guild saying the
writing on this show from the very beginning
was exceptional and he was a key part of that.
And then another WGA win for comedy series for
Hacks season three in 2024. just reinforces the
sustained quality of the writing and his contribution
to it. These WGA wins are arguably the most direct
validation of his core craft as a writer. So
putting it all together, the Emmy, the PGA, the
multiple WGAs, especially achieving that trifecta
for Hacks, what's the big picture takeaway about
Joe Mandy's standing now? The big picture is
that he's unequivocally established himself as
a top -tier, elite creative force in television
comedy. It's not just about one hit show or one
skill. It's about consistent, award -winning
excellence across writing and producing on multiple
high -profile, critically beloved series over
more than a decade. These awards, judged by his
peers across the industry, cement his legacy
as someone central to shaping contemporary TV
comedy. His name carries serious weight now.
He's a proven leader and a master craftsman.
and really an incredible trajectory. So wrapping
up our deep dive today, we've looked at Joe Mandi,
this true multi -hyphenate, from that early viral
hit, look at this fucking hipster, through his
stand -up, his acting, that wild Twitter phase,
all the way to being this powerhouse, Emmy -winning
writer and producer behind a show like Hacks.
He really does kind of embody how dynamic and
frankly weird the career path of a comedic artist
can be in the 21st century. Absolutely. His journey
really mirrors the way the industry itself has
changed. You have to be adaptable. You have to
understand different platforms from live performance
to TV production to, yes, even navigating the
chaos of online engagement. He shows how you
can evolve from being a niche internet figure
to an industry leader kind of learning and growing
in public. So here's a final thought to leave
everyone with. We've seen Mandé go from this
sharp blogger who really got the internet early
on to this major award -winning creator of sophisticated
TV comedy while also maintaining this boundary
-pushing, unforgettable online persona for years.
What does that whole arc tell us about what it
takes to be a successful comedic talent now?
That's a great question. Does it maybe suggest
that the most impactful artists today need to
be masters of many trades? You know, blurring
those lines between being a performer, a writer,
a producer, maybe even a provocateur online.
Is that multifaceted, multi -platform skill set
not just an option anymore, but almost required
to reach the highest levels of both critical
acclaim and real cultural impact? Makes you wonder
if the era of just being a stand -up or a sitcom
writer is kind of over for those aiming for the
very top. Something to think about.