MAD REWIND with Brandee Stilwell
Aug 19, 2026 · 53 min · 11 segments
In Episode 11 of *Mad Rewind*, host Brandee Stilwell welcomes Emmy-nominated writer and producer Rich Talarico! Rich pulls back the curtain on his incredible comedy journey, from getting his start at…
Rich TalaricoGuest
Brandee StilwellHost[upbeat music] It's time for Mad.
Rewind.
Mad Rewind.
Yeah, with your host.
Brandy Fey.
Um, in my log line for Mad Rewind, I always s- it's, uh, conversations about the magic that was Mad TV with the cast and crew.
So my next guest was a writer on Mad TV for six seasons, writing, uh, 90 episodes.
While at Mad, he earned three Writers Guild Award nominations in 2001, 2002, and 2003.
He's also written for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Saturday Night Live, HBO's Sketch Pad, Review, that would be with Andy Daly, and Key & Peele.
Uh, he's an alum of Chicago's Second City and improv Olympic, and he also provided punch-up work on films like Mean Girls and Get Out.
He's a Peabody Award-winning writer and producer with four Emmy nominations.
Now, going back to Key & Peele, uh, he is responsible for the sketch Substitute Teacher, A.A. Ron, uh, which was recently re- um, referenced as a clue on Jeopardy.
And in 2024 that sketch was added to the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History.
And finally, my favorite quote that I found about him, "Rich Talarico is one of the great all-time Caucasian improvisers," Tina Fey.
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