Intro

Welcome and why books

Studying literature at Tulane

Finding your taste beyond canon

Rereading and chasing the next book

Late night joke writing grind

Why standup beat journalism

Comedy timing and the power of silence

Books that shaped him early

American Psycho and dangerous literature

Simple prose and noir influences

New Book Tuesday and male readers

Fiction Over Facts

Finding Books for Men

Why Reading Feels Meditative

Do Trashy Books Count

Best Reads of 2026

One Book Everyone Should Read

Life Inside the Book World

Australian Authors to Try

Beyond Labels and Lists

Literature Builds Empathy

Closing Thoughts

He’s been described as a comedic dark genius.

But beneath Anthony Jeselnik’s acerbic wit lies a mind shaped by the power of literature.

Fiction, to be precise.

In fact, Jeselnik’s appreciation for the written word is so great that he’s even started a book club.

Called ‘The Anthony Jeselnik Book Club’ - the only prerequisite for membership is … well, nothing really. And, to be honest, that’s the real genius of the club - it’s open to anyone and everyone who wants to read.

There’s no deal in it for him, no movie tie-ins or kickbacks, making it probably one of the more PURE things in the world right now.

In this chat, we talk about Jeselnik’s education at Turlane, why he walked away from his first job writing jokes for Jimmy Fallon, and why nothing hits the human spirit like fiction.

Novels mentioned in the podcast below:

Glama Rama - Brett Easton Ellis
American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis
No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
Departure(s) - Julian Barnes
Lost Lambs - Madeline Cash
Crux - Gabriel Tallent
Discipline - Larissa Fa
Heap Earth Upon It - Chloe Michelle Howorth
White River Crossing - Ian McGuire
The Violet Hour: A Novel - James Cahill
Among Friends - Hal Ebbott
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Stoner - John Williams
Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
The Glass Hotel - Emily St. John Mandel
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Faithless - Alice Nelson

He&rsquo;s been described as a comedic dark genius.
But beneath Anthony Jeselnik&rsquo;s acerbic wit lies a mind shaped by the power of literature.
Fiction, to be precise.
In fact, Jeselnik&rsquo;s appreciation for the written word is so great that he&rsquo;s even started a book club.
Called &lsquo;The Anthony Jeselnik Book Club&rsquo; - the only prerequisite for membership is &hellip; well, nothing really. And, to be honest, that&rsquo;s the real genius of the club - it&rsquo;s open to anyone and everyone who wants to read.
There&rsquo;s no deal in it for him, no movie tie-ins or kickbacks, making it probably one of the more PURE things in the world right now.
In this chat, we talk about Jeselnik&rsquo;s education at Turlane, why he walked away from his first job writing jokes for Jimmy Fallon, and why nothing hits the human spirit like fiction.
Novels mentioned in the podcast below:
Glama Rama - Brett Easton Ellis American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton Departure(s) - Julian Barnes Lost Lambs - Madeline Cash Crux - Gabriel Tallent Discipline - Larissa Fa Heap Earth Upon It - Chloe Michelle Howorth White River Crossing - Ian McGuire The Violet Hour: A Novel - James Cahill Among Friends - Hal Ebbott Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy Stoner - John Williams Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah The Glass Hotel - Emily St. John Mandel Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger On the Road - Jack Kerouac Faithless - Alice Nelson

Mediaweek Podcasts deliver insider access to Australia’s media industry. From exclusive interviews with top execs and talent, to sharp analysis of trends shaping media, marketing and advertising.

Mediaweek Podcasts deliver insider access to Australia&rsquo;s media industry. From exclusive interviews with top execs and talent, to sharp analysis of trends shaping media, marketing and advertising.

Mediaweek

Mediaweek Australia

Mediaweek Newsmakers - Anthony Jeselnik