Paul McCaffrey on New Material, Comedy Today and Why Podcasts Work So Well

The MarshyCast

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Thursday, 21 May 2026 - 18 minutes

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Stand-up comedy might look effortless from the audience… but behind every polished routine is usually a graveyard full of jokes that never worked. 

In the latest episode of The MarshyCast, I caught up with comedian Paul McCaffrey ahead of his upcoming UK tour to talk about the reality of building a live comedy show. 

One of the first things I wanted to know was what happens when comedians try out brand new material. Does every comic secretly keep a reliable “best of” set tucked away in case the new jokes don’t land? Paul gave a fascinating insight into the balancing act comedians face between experimenting and making sure audiences still leave happy. 

We also spoke about what fans can expect from his latest tour and how stand-up itself has evolved over the years. Comedy audiences have changed, platforms have changed, and the way comedians connect with people has shifted dramatically compared to even a decade ago. 

That naturally led us into podcasts, which have become an increasingly important part of modern comedy culture. Paul explained why podcasts work so well for comedians, giving them space to be more conversational, spontaneous and personal than traditional stand-up often allows. 

We also talked about his hugely popular podcast What’s Upset You Now?, which continues to build a loyal audience thanks to exactly that kind of honest, funny back-and-forth. 

It’s a really fun conversation about comedy, creativity and what happens when jokes either soar… or crash directly into silence. 

🎧 You can hear the full conversation now on The MarshyCast, available on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. 

Find me on all social media @paulswampymarsh

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