Joe Toplyn

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Media Page

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW                                  

CONTACT JOE: joetoplyn@joetoplyn.com

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF LATE-NIGHT TV

Joe Toplyn, TV Writer/Producer, Four-Time Emmy Winner, and Author of Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV

Joe Toplyn, TV Writer/Producer, Four-Time Emmy Winner, and Author of Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV

Joe Toplyn [TOP-lin] has written and produced comedy/talk shows for over fifteen years. He began his television career on the writing staff of Late Night with David Letterman, where he won four Emmy awards. He went on to become co-head writer of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and head writer of Late Show with David Letterman. His other TV writing credits include the sketch show In Living Color and the comedic detective show Monk. He is the author of Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV.


Comedy Writing for Late-Night TVComedy Writing for Late-Night TV  is the first book ever written about the subject. Joe Toplyn reveals his proven methods of writing for late-night television in this one-of-a-kind insider’s guide.

Joe analyzes each type of comedy piece in the late-night TV playbook and takes you step-by-step through the process of writing it. This comprehensive manual is packed with detailed tips, practical techniques, and hilarious behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV is available at bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com. If you’re a media person and you’d like a copy, please contact Joe at joetoplyn@joetoplyn.com.

Joe Toplyn is available for interviews by phone, by video chat, and in studios in the New York area.



Sample Interview Questions for Joe Toplyn,

Author of Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV

1. You have a Harvard MBA. How did you go from business to comedy? (Answer takes 1 minute)

2. Who was the most fun to work for, David Letterman or Jay Leno? (30 seconds)

3. How did you almost accidentally set David Letterman on fire…twice? (1 minute)

4. What’s this about the police in Hollywood catching you and Jay Leno with a couple of prostitutes? (1 minute)

5. You were in a taxicab with Jay Leno and you almost died? (30 seconds)

6. Why did you climb up to the Hollywood Sign with Charlie Sheen and a gorgeous blonde masseuse? (30 seconds)

7. How did you come up with Jay Leno’s Mr. Brain character and why was it so important? (1 minute)

8. In the beginning The Tonight Show was losing big to Late Show in the ratings. How did Jay eventually steal the late-night crown from Dave? (1 minute)

9. O.J. Simpson murdered two people. Why was that great news for The Tonight Show? (1 minute)

10. Was there ever a time when the writers of The Tonight Show or Late Show crossed the line of good taste? (1 minute)

11. How do late-night comedy writers come up with new ideas every day? (30 seconds)

12. What are Joke Maximizers? How can they make any joke funnier? (1 minute)

To schedule an interview,

contact Joe at joetoplyn@joetoplyn.com


*****

Click to hear Joe on “Art Howard at Night” (1:24:37)

Art Howard at Night

*****

Click to hear Joe on “There It Is” with Jason Farr. (1:00:03)

There it is

*****

Click to hear Joe on the Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs podcast, “HAE Invites,” talking about comedy as a business. (50:30)

*****

Click to hear Joe chatting with Mike Barlow on “Paid by the Word” about some tools for writing jokes and other short-form content. (26:30)

*****

Click to watch Joe talking about late-night TV comedy with stand-up comedian and writer James D. Creviston. (44:43).

6 thoughts on “Media Page”

  1. marian belgray says:
    February 9, 2017 at 6:25 pm

    Hey, Joe! Just wanted to give a shout. I read/used your book for a late-night packet I recently put together. it was a HUGE* help. I’m also a stand-up comic and your writing tips have helped me with my own jokes, too. Bravo and thank you.
    *I’m now thinking we as a country need to retire the word “HUGE.” But the book was very helpful.

    Reply
    • Joe Toplyn says:
      February 10, 2017 at 9:27 am

      Hi, Marian. Thanks very much for your message. I’m really glad to hear the book has been so helpful, believe me. (Maybe as a country we should also retire the sentence “Believe me.”) Good luck with your packet and your adventures in comedy.

      Reply
  2. Amy Carson says:
    January 4, 2015 at 6:22 pm

    Hi Joe,

    I love the book. When are you teaching a class New York next?
    I would love to take it!!

    -Amy Carson

    Reply
    • Joe Toplyn says:
      January 7, 2015 at 4:26 pm

      Hi, Amy–

      Thanks for buying my book, and for your interest and enthusiasm.

      I don’t know when I’ll be teaching my late-night TV comedy class again. I’m waiting to hear what’s going on with a TV project that might tie up my schedule.

      Please let the Peoples Improv Theater know that you’d like to take my class and they’ll tell you when dates are set for it. A link to the PIT is in one of the sliders on my home page.

      Meanwhile my book will give you a head start on the material.

      Have fun!

      Reply
  3. Nancy Haman says:
    October 14, 2014 at 8:12 am

    I love your book. I do stand up and I am not sure that I want to write for late night tv. I just want to become more fluent writing for my stand up comedy. Looking forward to coming to your workshops. Thank you.
    -Nancy Haman

    Reply
    • Joe Toplyn says:
      October 14, 2014 at 9:36 am

      Thanks, Nancy! I’m glad you like the book. You’re right…it’s not just for people who want to write for late-night TV. It’s a practical, how-to manual for anyone who wants to write short-form comedy, comedy pieces under about ten minutes long. That includes everything from jokes to remotes to sketches, so it definitely includes stand-up comedy. Hope to see you in class!

      Reply

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Joe Toplyn 1 day ago

Recently a company in Japan introduced vending machines that sell whale meat. And most Japanese people are saying no thanks. The only thing they want to buy from a vending machine is a piping hot cup of squid ink.

Joe Toplyn 2 days ago

A U.S. tourist was fined for driving his rental car over a centuries-old, medieval Italian bridge. The Italians were waving their hands, swearing a mile a minute, gesturing wildly…and then they saw the car on the bridge.

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In an Oscar snub, Tom Cruise did not get an acting nomination for "Top Gun: Maverick." Insiders say he got a lot of votes but came up short.

Joe Toplyn 4 days ago

Today a 4.2 magnitude earthquake struck near Malibu, California. The shaking was so hard that one lane of the Pacific Coast Highway was temporarily closed due to large chunks falling off Cher's plastic surgery.

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It's the Chinese New Year—the Year of the Rabbit. To celebrate, President Biden visited a third-grade classroom and showed the kids how to make little origami rabbits out of classified documents.

Joe Toplyn 6 days ago

Chase Bank announced that it's closing some ATM vestibules in New York City at 5 pm because of rising crime. The good news is, bank officials say that customers who need cash after hours can always do what other New Yorkers do and pick somebody's pocket.

Joe Toplyn 1 week ago

Retired astronaut Buzz Aldrin just got married to his "longtime love." His astronaut friends say he's over the moon…in a nearly-circular, equatorial orbit with a period of 88 minutes.

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