No topic is off limits in Sarah Silverman’s podcast, from politics to the “rampant overuse of cologne.” Courtesy of Lemonada Media.The voice. There’s just something about Sarah Silverman’s voice that instantly cheers me up. I can’t describe it. It’s instantly recognizable, of course, and it’s no wonder that in addition to her decades-long stand-up, she’s equally fantastic at doing voice work in animated movies. She has that type of voice that every comedian needs because when she has something to say, she says it proudly and loudly. No sugarcoating. No tiptoeing around an irreverent joke or topic. It’s no wonder at all that she is one of the most successful stand-ups in the world. Comedians are meant to have no fear with their jokes and opinions. If there’s a barrier to how far we, the viewers, think they should go, they leap over it. There are countless moments where, in my head, I wonder, “Oh my god, is Sarah going to say that. She won’t. She can’t… She did!” She is, in every sense of the word, the perfect kind of comedian. We don’t deserve her! She’s too good.
Now, for anyone reading this, you are probably already familiar with Sarah’s history in comedy, from her stand-up shows and movies to her popularized relationship with Jimmy Kimmel. You may also know that she is Jewish, so Jewish that her name may forever pop up if you Google “Jewish” and “comedy.” Although, ironically, Sarah identifies more as culturally Jewish, she always finds a portion in her acts to discusses her religion, as well as politics, human rights, and, of course, sex. LOTS of sex jokes, discussions about body parts, kissing, fornicating, etc. (Don’t worry. I’ll keep it PG here.) These days, in between hilarious talk show appearances and small roles in films (check her out in Bradley Cooper’s upcoming Maestro Leonard Bernstein biopic), Sarah stays busy with her outrageous, super entertaining podcast, THE SARAH SILVERMAN PODCAST.
“Sarah shares her thoughts and musings on anything and everything under the sun,” reads the description of the show. “No topic is off limits, from politics to the rampant overuse of cologne.”
And lastly…
“Yes, things will get weird. But weird is her sweet spot.”
With over 140 episodes and growing, THE SARAH SILVERMAN PODCAST is essentially what I call an “advice podcast.” Listeners send in pre-recorded questions for Sarah to answer. The questions, submitted by people from around the world, could be about absolutely anything.
- “I recently started dating a man who makes me laugh. We have a lot of fun together. Here’s the problem: I just found out he’s an alcoholic. What should I do, Sarah?”
- “How are you able to get to a place where you can say such loving, patient, kind things about people from your past who have wronged you?”
- “I am 24 years old, and I have been self-harming since I was 13. I can’t stop. I don’t know how to treat myself with love. Have you ever struggled with this?”
- “I am trying to break into performance art and am coming up against some sexism. Do you have any experience with this? What do you do in those situations?”
- “My partner and I recently tried some non-monogamy. On his side, his situation with this woman that he was involved with ended up with some pretty big feelings. I discovered that she worked across the street from me. I reached out to her and let her know that I didn’t want her to feel blindsided. She responded quite badly, and I’m heartbroken. What are your thoughts about this?
OK, so these are pretty serious questions, and I promise that not all of them are this heavy on the podcast. Some people have much sillier questions, from concerns about their private parts to one caller who asked for advice about feeling bad for being a 38-year-old virgin. Serious or not, Sarah is always there to help, instantly offering her two cents on the matter.
THE SARAH SILVERMAN PODCAST, which is also recorded on camera, is one of the few podcasts I watch on YouTube because the best thing about it is seeing Sarah’s reactions. She is typically deadpan, and watching her wide eyes when a caller explains something positively ridiculous is just hilarious. At the same time, you can see Sarah’s deep care for these individuals. This isn’t just a comedy podcast for her. She’s no psychiatrist, but she takes these callers seriously. She’s someone who understands that as great and healing as comedy can be, life is still a kick in the butt most of the time. Sarah herself has talked about her struggles with depression, and she even delivered an astounding performance as a mother battling depression in 2015’s underrated I Smile Back, a film that earned her a SAG Award nomination.
In between giving advice, Sarah also just talks aplenty about her own life on the show. She is outspoken, as you may know, about a lot of topics impacting the world, whether it be the US election, women’s rights, antisemitism, AI, the Kardashians, etc. I think it’s Sarah’s dry, peculiar candor that sets her apart from so many comedians. She is someone who keeps a straight face when telling a joke. She may smirk, but for the most part, she’s composed and almost stern-looking. There are no physical acts to her humor. One random interview moment that stands out for me was when Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen asked her if she would prefer to date a man who only had one… well, you know. (It rhymes with “mall.”)
“Of course,” Sarah responded in a high-pitched voice. No smile. No red cheeks or embarrassment. Without skipping a beat, Sarah just responded.
I also remember her appearance on The View in May 2022. After hugging the hosts one by one, she sat down.
“I tested positive this morning, so…” she joked. While the hosts burst out laughing, Sarah just briefly smiled and carried on with the show.
Her candor, matched with her endearing words of advice, affable personality, and significant speaking voice, makes Sarah Silverman born to have her own podcast. The world, especially the Jewish world, has been through the unspeakable this crazy year. If you’re feeling sad, if you need a palate cleanser, take a break and listen to Sarah. We all need a laugh these days, and we especially need some input from one of the funniest ladies in the world.
THE SARAH SILVERMAN PODCAST is available to listen to on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and watch on YouTube.