Breaking Bread with Tom Papa

Tom Papa has been one of the most reliable stand-up comedians in the business for over two decades -- a Seinfeld favorite, a regular on late-night television, and the host of his own Netflix special. Breaking Bread takes his warmth and curiosity and wraps them around an unusually good hook: Tom bakes actual bread for every guest while conducting the interview. It sounds gimmicky until you realize how well it works. Food turns out to be a remarkable interview lubricant. Conversations about what people eat, where they grew up eating it, and what cooking means to them open guests up in ways that a standard "tell me about your latest project" format never does. The intimacy of the kitchen setting -- and the fact that there is something to do with your hands -- creates a different kind of conversation. Recent guests have included Kenan Thompson, Craig Ferguson, Phil Rosenthal, and Rob Riggle, and listeners consistently note that Tom asks the kind of uncomfortable-but-warm questions that lead to genuinely candid answers. With 313 episodes and a 4.7-star rating, the show has found a loyal audience. For Rogan listeners, this is the show to reach for when you want the long-form interview energy but in a more relaxed, feel-good register. There are no fight breakdowns or political debates here -- just a genuinely funny person who happens to bake excellent bread drawing out the best stories from his guests. Papa is a skilled enough interviewer that even non-comedians deliver compelling episodes, which puts him in a rare category. All Things Comedy distributes the show.