The Smallest Hecklers with Danny Ricker

On this Parenting is a Joke snack episode, ​head-writer of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Danny Ricker joins Ophira Eisenberg to talk about how his work and family worlds overlap in unpredictable ways. He shares how writing jokes for Kimmel during the pandemic meant working from his garage while his kids crashed Zoom meetings, and why pitching jokes with a toddler tugging on his sleeve changed the whole dynamic of the room. Danny recalls how his children’s blunt feedback sometimes lands harder than a network note, and how bedtime stories often turn into test runs for monologue material. He describes the strange pride of seeing his kids repeat late-night style jokes at school, including one about Guillermo that got surprisingly big laughs on the playground. The conversation comes full circle when Danny admits the most nerve-wracking audience he’s ever faced isn’t Jimmy, the network, or a celebrity guest—but his own kids at the dinner table. 📍October Shows are in Bozeman, MT, WI, MN, MO and in November new Standup Special Taping at The Comedy Cellar in NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.comCome to the Taping at the Comedy Cellar on Sun Nov 9th! 5pm: https://www.comedycellar.com/reservations-newyork/?showid=1762725600 7pm: https://www.comedycellar.com/reservations-newyork/?showid=1762732860 Follow Danny Ricker: https://www.instagram.com/heydannyricker/ Follow Mom’s Unhinged: https://www.instagram.com/momsunhingedcomedy/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices