Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Tom Segura, a comedian known for specials like "Completely Normal" and "Sledgehammer", is also the creator of the TV show "Bad Thoughts". He's appeared on "Conan" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". Today, he's here to teach us how to write comedy.
What makes Tom's humor so distinct is its observational and story-based nature. He can look at something you've seen a thousand times and point out a hilarious detail, making you realize, "Yes, that's absolutely true!" That's why I asked him to come on the show and teach us how he finds and writes those kinds of jokes.
Here's his answer, along with a few moments that had me in tears of laughter.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:37 How to find jokes
00:02:03 Why comedians are always annoyed
00:07:19 Say the obvious
00:11:06 What makes a joke land
00:13:11 The 250-rep rule
00:15:07 Chris Rock
00:19:33 The 4 types of comedians
00:21:44 Use the audience's discomfort
00:23:39 Laughs vs message
00:24:39 Stage presence
00:32:00 Why power trips are funny
00:36:50 How to develop a joke
00:38:56 Stand-up vs TV writing
00:49:11 Finding your way in
00:54:08 Punchlines
00:55:16 Inside Tom's set list
00:58:15 Word choice
00:59:31 Accents
01:03:50 How to open a show
01:05:04 Callbacks
01:08:00 Writing a book
*About the host*
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
*Follow me*
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Tom Segura, a comedian known for specials like "Completely Normal" and "Sledgehammer", is also the creator of the TV show "Bad Thoughts". He's appeared on "Conan" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". Today, he's here to teach us how to write comedy.
What makes Tom's humor so distinct is its observational and story-based nature. He can look at something you've seen a thousand times and point out a hilarious detail, making you realize, "Yes, that's absolutely true!" That's why I asked him to come on the show and teach us how he finds and writes those kinds of jokes.
Here's his answer, along with a few moments that had me in tears of laughter.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:37 How to find jokes
00:02:03 Why comedians are always annoyed
00:07:19 Say the obvious
00:11:06 What makes a joke land
00:13:11 The 250-rep rule
00:15:07 Chris Rock
00:19:33 The 4 types of comedians
00:21:44 Use the audience's discomfort
00:23:39 Laughs vs message
00:24:39 Stage presence
00:32:00 Why power trips are funny
00:36:50 How to develop a joke
00:38:56 Stand-up vs TV writing
00:49:11 Finding your way in
00:54:08 Punchlines
00:55:16 Inside Tom's set list
00:58:15 Word choice
00:59:31 Accents
01:03:50 How to open a show
01:05:04 Callbacks
01:08:00 Writing a book
*About the host*
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
*Follow me*
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
