Since Kliph Nesteroff's The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy (Grove Press) was released last November, fans including Bob Odenkirk and Steve Martin have raved about it on social media and bought multiple copies apiece to share with like-minded peers. The Canadian transplant has appeared on panels with Lewis Black, Gilbert Gottfried and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog; scored gigs with TBS, CNN and Viceland; landed his own forthcoming Earwolf podcast, Classic Showbiz; and is the curator at the National Comedy Center, where among other current projects he's working on a George Carlin exhibit with George's daughter, Kelly Carlin, an L.A. resident and author in her own right. The Comedians, which is right up there with I'm Dying Up Here, Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live and Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon, in terms of thoroughness, engagement and lasting significance, is available in paperback on Nov. 8, while Audible.com promises an audiobook version soon as well.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.