{"product_id":"inside-jokes-humor-satire-writing-panel-online-november-2026","title":"INSIDE JOKES: A Panel on Writing and Publishing Humor and Satire with Elissa Bassist, Chris Monks, Alexandra Petri, Milly Tamarez, and Evan Waite, Thursday, November 5th, 2026","description":"\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eINSIDE JOKES: A Panel on Writing and Publishing Humor and Satire with Elissa Bassist\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThursday, November 5th, 2026\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eLive Panel via Zoom from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e🌍 \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClass Times by Time Zone: \u003c\/strong\u003eLos Angeles (PST): 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM \/ Chicago (CST): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM \/ New York (EST): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eA copy of \u003cstrong\u003eINSIDE JOKES: A Comedy and Creativity Guide for All Writers\u003c\/strong\u003e is included with enrollment and will ship from \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBooks Are Magic in Brooklyn, NY\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eComedy writing is hard. Or is it? \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis panel of professional humor \u0026amp; satire writers and editors will demystify how to be funny in prose, in scripts, online, and at parties. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese panelists do it all: write and edit viral pieces, publish full-length books, write your favorite shows, tell your favorite jokes, and either publish in or subscribe to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — and they want to share their insights and secrets on how to draft, submit, resubmit, publish, and promote funny writing. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhether you want to write parody, satire, essays, short, or long; whether you're new or old to writing--this panel is for you. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoin us to become a comedy writing insider and learn everything you need to know about writing a fart joke and invoicing for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHost Elissa Bassist brings together Chris Monks, who has edited \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eMcSweeney's Internet Tendency\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e since 2007 and decides what runs there; Alexandra Petri, staff writer at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand winner of the 2025 Thurber Prize for American Humor; Milly Tamarez, a stand-up and TV writer whose work has appeared on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eReductress, BuzzFeed\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and MTV, and who consults with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Onion\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e on developing a pipeline for diverse comedy writers; and Evan Waite, co-executive producer on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eFamily Guy\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Writers Guild Award winner, and a contributor to both \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Onion \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e The New Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor two hours, they'll get specific about the work: where a funny idea comes from and how you know it has legs; how to build an airtight premise; why most humor submissions get rejected in the first paragraph; what separates a piece that's funny from a piece that's publishable; how to write anything funnier; how to weaponize comedy to fight fascism; and how a byline in one venue turns into the next one.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere will be a live Q\u0026amp;A, so bring your questions for these panelists at the top of their game.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis panel is for you if:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou write funny and don't know what to do next\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou don’t write funny but want to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eYou've been submitting to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMcSweeney's Internet Tendency, The New Yorker, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Points in Case\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and getting nowhere\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou're a fiction or essay writer who keeps hearing “it’s too sad” and needs humor to make your writing publishable \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou've thought about writing for TV or performing comedy and want to hear how people actually did it \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou want to understand the humor market from the people who edit it and frequently write for it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat you'll leave with:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA working understanding of how humor writers and editors read, and what gets a piece killed in the first ten seconds\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA concrete sense of which venues fit which kinds of funny writing, and what each venue wants from you\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSubmission practices that work for different markets. A copy of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eINSIDE JOKES: A Comedy and Creativity Guide for All Writers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by Elissa Bassist and Caitlin Kunkel (Grand Central Publishing)\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYour Host\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElissa Bassist\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the memoir \u003cem\u003eHysterical\u003c\/em\u003e, a semi-finalist for The Thurber Prize for American Humor, and the creator of the “Funny Women” column on \u003cem\u003eThe Rumpus\u003c\/em\u003e. As a founding contributor to \u003cem\u003eThe Rumpus\u003c\/em\u003e, Elissa has written cultural and personal criticism since the website launched in 2009. She’s worked in media and publishing since 2007, as an editor, a managing editor, a TV and film writer’s assistant, a producer, a performer, a speaker, and a barista. Her writing has appeared in over 30 publications and anthologies, and she’s taught for over 20 writing programs. Her next book, INSIDE JOKES: A Comedy and Creativity Guide for All Writers, is out October 20th. Elissa lives in Brooklyn and is probably her therapist’s favorite. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Panel\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChris Monks\u003c\/strong\u003e has been the editor of \u003cem\u003eMcSweeney's Internet Tendency\u003c\/em\u003e since 2007. He is the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Ultimate Game Guide to Your Life\u003c\/em\u003e and has edited numerous books, including \u003cem\u003eKeep Scrolling Til You Feel Something: Twenty-One Years of McSweeney's Internet Tendency\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eObey In Advance: How to Survive and Thrive Under Authoritarianism\u003c\/em\u003e by Ginny Hogan and Carlos Greaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlexandra Petri\u003c\/strong\u003e is a staff writer at the \u003cem\u003eAtlantic\u003c\/em\u003e. Until 2025, she was a columnist for the \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e. She has appeared on \u003cem\u003eWait Wait...Don't Tell Me\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eJeopardy!\u003c\/em\u003e where she made what was described as the \"worst final \u003cem\u003eJeopardy!\u003c\/em\u003e wager of all time.\" Alexandra was on \u003cem\u003eRolling Stone\u003c\/em\u003e's list of \"The Funniest People Right Now,\" \u003cem\u003eForbes\u003c\/em\u003e \"30 Under 30,\" received the National Press Club's Angele Gingras award for humor writing, and won the Thurber Prize for American Humor in 2025 for \u003cem\u003eAlexandra Petri's US History\u003c\/em\u003e. Her other books are the essay collection \u003cem\u003eNothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why\u003c\/em\u003e, the funny personal essay collection \u003cem\u003eA Field Guide to Awkward Silences\u003c\/em\u003e, and the comic \u003cem\u003eShe-Hulk Annual #1\u003c\/em\u003e. She is also an O. Henry International pun-off champion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMilly Tamarez\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Brooklyn-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actress. She has written for ABC's \u003cem\u003eThe Celebrity Dating Game\u003c\/em\u003e, WWE's \u003cem\u003eFriday Night SmackDown\u003c\/em\u003e, and NPR's \u003cem\u003eWait Wait…Don't Tell Me\u003c\/em\u003e. Milly is the co-creator and co-host of the weekly internet news comedy podcast \u003cem\u003eGo Touch Grass\u003c\/em\u003e. As an actress, Milly has appeared in \u003cem\u003eThe Devil Wears Prada\u003c\/em\u003e. She performs stand-up in both English and Spanish and has opened for international comedy stars including Angelo Colina, Marcello Hernández, and Caleb Heron. Her writing and comedy have appeared on BuzzFeed, Reductress, and MTV, and she has been featured on Comedy Central, BET, Vice, Thrillist, Above Average, Univision, and Flama. Milly is also the co-creator of Flexx, a satire magazine for people of color, and the founder of the Diverse As F*ck Comedy Festival, which highlights underrepresented voices in comedy. Through her work with DAF, she consults with \u003cem\u003eThe Onion\u003c\/em\u003e on developing a pipeline for diverse comedy writers and talent. She is also a founding member of the all-women-of-color improv team Affirmative Action.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvan Waite\u003c\/strong\u003e is a co-executive producer on Fox's \u003cem\u003eFamily Guy\u003c\/em\u003e, and previously wrote on \u003cem\u003eUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt\u003c\/em\u003e and NBC's \u003cem\u003eSunnyside\u003c\/em\u003e. He won a Writer's Guild Award for his work on Adult Swim's \u003cem\u003eThree Busy Debras\u003c\/em\u003e, and is currently a creative producer on Ziwe's YouTube series. He also contributes to \u003cem\u003eThe Onion\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e. His first humor book, \u003cem\u003eLife Wants You Dead: A Calm, Rational and Totally Legit Guide to Scaring Yourself Safe\u003c\/em\u003e was published by Chronicle Books and is available now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Your Copy of INSIDE JOKES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eYour book is included with enrollment and ships from \u003cstrong\u003eBooks Are Magic in Brooklyn.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eINSIDE JOKES goes on sale October 20th, 2026, and your copy will ship after the panel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eShipping is included in your tuition. At checkout, choose the option that matches your mailing address: United States or International.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAYMENT OPTIONS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuition includes your copy of INSIDE JOKES and shipping: $75 USD for United States addresses, $95 USD for Canada and all other international addresses.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can pay in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHost: Elissa Bassist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBegins Thursday, November 5th, 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLive panel via Zoom on Thursday, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuition is $75 USD for United States addresses, $95 USD for Canada and all other international addresses; book and shipping included.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Writing Workshops Org","offers":[{"title":"U.S. address (book included)","offer_id":50583745757432,"sku":null,"price":57.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"International address (book included)","offer_id":50583745790200,"sku":null,"price":73.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0287\/3917\/4532\/files\/ElissaBassistHeadshot2025.png?v=1757622875","url":"https:\/\/writingworkshops.com\/en-gb\/products\/inside-jokes-humor-satire-writing-panel-online-november-2026","provider":"Writing Workshops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}