Hi, Im Anthony Jeselnik. Comedian and host of the Jeselnik Offensive. Ask Me Anything.

Hey Jeselnik, why and what exactly happened with this tweet joke you made on the day of the Bombings of the Boston Marathon? You deleted it about 20-30 minutes afterwards.

Tweet - http://i.imgur.com/lXMWplW.jpg

Okay. Starting strong. Thanks for having me, everyone.
Comedy Central made me delete the Boston Marathon joke. I wasn't happy about it but, despite popular belief, I can occasionally be a team player.

And why didn't you mention it on The Jeselnik Offensive season finale? It was the perfect time! I was gearing up for offense and you let me down!

They wouldn't let us even mention the Boston Marathon on our last show. That's why we did The Top 3 Things We're Not Allowed To Talk About. It was the best we could do.

I'd also like to know. Deleting it is pointless, to my mind. It can still be reported about after its gone, so it would be better to either leave it up and stand by it, or apologize (also pointless, anyone who lost something that day has bigger problems going on than jokes on Twitter).

I can stand by a tweet. But Comedy Central said they couldn't publicly support me, in the form of announcing our second season pick up, unless I deleted it. I wasn't about to tell the people who work for me that they didn't have jobs anymore because I wasn't going to delete a stupid tweet. Of course, if they had asked me to apologize for the tweet, we'd all be out on our asses.

Do you know if dane cook ever saw your standup joke where you tell a joke as yourself than tell it as dane cook?

Link for the curious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_mzj9kiyAE

I know he has. I actually like Dane Cook. I think he's interesting. We met once recently and it was a little awkward, but he seems like a good guy.

What is Amy Schumer's favorite sexual position?

Cunnilingus

What's the worst way someone has ever reacted to a joke?

I once had half the crowd walk out on me in Seattle when I asked an obese journalist student if she was getting into food criticism.

If you could have sex with a baby, any baby, whose baby would it be?

Casey Anthony's baby.

how annoying is it to be compared to daniel tosh all the time? (i'm a fan of you both, i think its weird when people compare you guys, you are very different)

Great question. It's a little annoying, but I understand it. We're both tall white dudes on comedy central who say edgy shit. But we're very different. I think people compare us because they just like comparing things. I used to get Mitch Hedberg a lot, even though I couldn't be more different. But we both told one liners, so there you go. I also think some people just don't know that much about comedy. It would be like a person who didn't know anything about football thinking all offensive linemen are the same.

When you and Amy get in an argument, is it filled with witty, yet mean remarks? Also, during her IAmA, she said to ask about your tattoo?..

Amy and I each have our cross to bear when it comes to tattoos. Amy and I are funny when we fight. It just keeps escalating until one of us starts laughing. Then it's over. I'm happy that we're friends.

Is that your normal voice?

I hope so.

What was your hashtag about Brett Favre that you couldn't say on Sportsnation?

Dick Pic

Thanks so much for being a part of this. Had a blast but now I have to run. But please watch The Jeselnik Offensive tonight at 10:30 on Comedy Central.

Tj miller said he threw out the hoddie you gave him for being on your show because he said it was a stupid gift. How does that make you feel?

Ha. I'm used to that. Amy left all her gifts on the floor of her dressing room because she didn't want anything with my name on it.

How much of your career do you owe to Greg Giraldo dying? You took his spot on the roasts and absolutely killed it.

I was actually booked to do the next roast with Giraldo before he died. But I understand why people think I replaced him. The last conversation I had with Greg was after the Hasselhoff roast and we were talking about how excited we were to do the next one together. He was awesome.

Surprised you've never been on Stern. He is a fan of your comedy and Amy has done it a few times. Any interest?

I'd love to do Stern. I was booked a few months ago but had to reschedule. I'd love to do it someday. But I'm a little nervous about it. I'm not psyched to talk about my personal life that much.

Any guests you really want on the panel that you have not been able to get?

I'd love to have Sarah Silverman on the show some day. Other than that, we've gotten everyone I wanted. We have Joan Rivers with Dave Attel this season, which is a fucking dream come true.

How do you feel about aaron Hernandez?

I hate all the Patriots. But he's probably my favorite.

Who are some under appreciated comedians we may not have heard of yet?

Sean Patton, Ryan Hamilton, Ophira Eisenberg, Andy Haynes, Raj Desai, Joe Mande, Michael Che.

Do you plan on doing any more celebrity roasts?

I don't know. My contract for the roasts is up, but I think Comedy Central would like to have me back. I think they're putting together another one for the end of the summer. No idea who it will be.

What inspired you to write such dark, hilarious comedy?

I've always been fascinated by dark subjects, especially people's reactions to them. Why are people so uncomfortable talking about death if everyone dies? And why do people sometimes laugh at these horrible things? And why do they seem to laugh harder when it's about a dark subject? Plus, no one else seemed to be doing it.

Is there any subject that you just won't touch, for whatever reason?

No. There are only subjects I haven't worked out yet.

Do you feel the Comedy Central show 'format' has limited your show creatively? Would you do the show differently if you had full control?

Not to take that negatively, I just feel a lot of these comedy central shows are carbon copies of each other in terms of format

I have full control. Sure, there are limits to the format I've chosen, but I think brilliant stuff comes out of working with limitations. One liners are very limiting, but that's what drew me to them in the first place.

The debate over rape jokes seems to never end. Did you see Lindy West and Jim Norton on Totally Biased? What did you think of it?

There will always be people who hate rape jokes. But as long as it remains a forbidden fruit of comedy, comics will want to take shots at it. I'm not interested in the debate. I just do what I want.

Is it true you and Daniel tosh are gay lovers?

Not really.

When will you stop being Daniel's gay lover? :)

After my sex change operation.

How long did it take you to figure out your persona? Is there a video out there of you early in your career making Gaffigan-esque jokes?

No Gaffigan-esque videos out there, but it took me years to put this persona together. Just endless nights of open mics and trying new things.

Is hosting your own show your ultimate goal, or do you still want to do more, like hosting SNL or getting involved in movies?

My ultimate goal is to do whatever I want, whenever I want to do it. And that keeps changing. I didn't want to host my own show until I wrote for someone else's. I don't know what I'll want to do after this show, but I hope The Jeselnik Offensive runs for a long time.

Hi Anthony, I love to watch the show when I can. Is there a joke you once used during standup that you don't use anymore?

I try to retire jokes as soon as I can once I put them on an album. But I can't think of anything I just stopped doing for no reason. Although I used to have a great Chris Brown/Rhianna bit that I had to drop because it was too long after the incident.

How many times have you made your mother cry?

As a kid? Many, many times. Lately, her son is a rich and famous comedian. She's good.

Has anyone ever threatened you for being "too racist"? If so how did you respond to that threat?

No. I don't have much racial stuff in my act. And no one's ever really threatened me to my face. Threats on the internet don't bother me so much.

Hi Anthony! Thanks for another AMA, and I'm loving The Jeselnik Offensive.

My question: What is your favorite segment to perform on The Jeselnik Offensive?

I love getting to do a monologue. But the panel is probably the most fun, just because I'm hanging with my comic friends. But Shark Party was my favorite thing we did last year, just because it was so ridiculous.

Any chance of doing a show in Australia sometime soon?

Nope. I was there this time last year for a three week tour.

[deleted]

Yup. I did a festival in Dublin a few years ago. It was fun. I had some great shows and one disaster of a show where I drank too much.

What's the most offensive material you have that the network won't let you air on tv?

They let us do pretty much anything. They let me get away with 9/11 Babies for Christ's sake. There was one thing we ended up taking out. It was a bit about the Aurora shooting. I just didn't think it was funny.

Who would you rather bang - Amanda Bynes or Miley Cyrus?

Miley

What is it that makes you and some guests on your show so fantastic at the sort of spontaneous rapport that goes on on your show, while some other great comedians can't keep up?

I don't know. Maybe it's just the relationship I have to the guests or how much fun they're having. Some people show up just to say their jokes, plug their shit and go home. Some people, usually the ones I'm friends with in real life, just come to have fun and joke around with me.

What was your experience like working on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"?

It was hard and frustrating, but in a good way. I learned a lot and I loved the people I worked with.

Can you say something really mean to me?

This is the last question I'm answering. But these are always a blast. Thanks, Reddit! Happy to come back any time.

What music do you listen to?

Lots of different stuff. I listen to a lot of Alt Nation on XM radio. Loved the new Portugal, The Man album. The new Kanye is great. I've had Grimes "Oblivion" stuck in my head for a week. I'm all over the place.

What are your favourite comedy and non comedy movies? Can't wait for the second season of Jeselnik Offensive tonight!

Favorite comedy movies: Naked Gun, Airplane, Caddyshack, Dumb and Dumber, MacGruber and most recently, Goon.

Serious movies: King of New York, No Country for Old Men

If you could go back in time and slap somebody in the face, who would it be?

Jesus.

Rodney Dangerfield or Emo Philips? Favorite joke?

I love them both so much. Never got to see Rodney live, but I saw Emo in Ireland a few years ago and he blew me away. My favorite of his that night: "My wife left me but I don't want to be a divorcee. I'd much rather be a widow."

How has being on a nationally televised show changed the interactions you have with people out in public? Any creepy/funny fan stories?

I avoid drunk fans at all costs. It's been a while since I've enjoyed myself in a bar.

When are you going to come on the Opie and Anthony show? You'd be perfect for the show. The Jim Norton bit was hilarious.

I've been on O and A once or twice before. It was fun. Anthony actually tweeted that he thought my 9/11 Babies bit was in bad taste, and I can't wait to call him out on that shit.

Have you ever not told a joke because you thought it was too offensive?

No. Only if it's not funny enough.

Hi Anthony,

I organized your show at the University of South Dakota last October. What I want to know is - since your show has started, how has your writing/creative process changed?

I don't think it's changed, really. I just have to do more with less time.

Any roasts coming up? You're roasts are as strong as Greg Geraldo's

There will be a roast very, very soon. Look for an announcement as early as tomorrow. But, no, I don't know who it is. Or why they won't tell me!

Which type of jokes do you like to preform more, the ones that get laughs or the ones that completely shock people?

I like a mix of the two. I guess I prefer the laughs. I couldn't do a whole set of just shocks, but I like throwing a fastball inside every now and then to keep people on their toes.

Love your show, by the way. You were in Austin for the Moontower comedy festival. I didn't get to see you, but did you enjoy your time in Austin? What did you think of the festival?

I love Austin, but last time I was in town for twelve hours. I was exhausted, drunk and miserable. But none of that was Austin's fault.

I have really been looking forward to this AMA, thank you for doing it!

How do you feel about the Jeselnik Offensive? Are you happy with the outcome and what have been the biggest challenges for you?

Is there a specific reason you prefer one-liners and do you think the format is more challenging and less forgiving than other forms of standup? I've never done standup, but I've always thought that what you are doing on stage is a lot more courageous than anecdote based sets (not necessarily better or worse, since that doesn't really depend on the format, of course) since you have one chance of getting a laugh from the audience, and there is no buildup to fall back on.

I would also love to hear more about how you ended up in standup comedy, and what would the ideal future would look like for you career-wise.

One last question; what do you do online (besides watch porn), are there any specific websites that you visit very often?

Oh, and please come to Europe!

Whew. Let's go. I love The Jeselnik Offensive. The tough part has been getting good at being a comfortable host and finding out what works and what doesn't. This is the kind of show that takes a lot of time to get right and I'm doing my best, but it's a challenge. I'm a comedian and there are a lot of things I'm still learning. I love one liners because I love smart jokes. I also don't like complaining about society or whining about my life on stage.
I got into comedy because I wanted to get into writing. My favorite websites are ESPN.com, AVClub.com and The Chive.

I love the way you present yourself on-stage. How did you develop this persona?

I just noticed that audiences didn't want to laugh at me because of the way I looked, so I just went with that. It seemed fun to play a villain on stage and I wanted my jokes to be so good that I could just calmly tell them on stage. I didn't want to show any neediness. It was important to me to be cool up there.

If you could be either yourself or Daniel Tosh, who would you be?

I wouldn't trade places with anyone, for better or for worse. But Tosh has a good thing going on.