St. Louis–born comedy superstar Kathleen Madigan had a busy 2023. Her Amazon Prime Video special, Hunting Bigfoot, premiered last spring, and she followed it up with two tours: Do You Have Any Ranch? and Boxed Wine & Tiny Banjos (which included a hometown stop at Stifel in November). That was all while recording a weekly podcast, Madigan’s Pubcast, from her home in the Ozarks and making time to guest on other projects.
After more than 30 years in the comedy biz, Madigan is showing no signs of slowing down. She’s currently zig-zagging the country on her coast-to-coast Potluck Party 2024 tour. And this month, Hunting Bigfoot will make its audio debut on SiriusXM.
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Madigan says that in the months since her special began streaming on Prime, it has had staying power, in part because Amazon put its weight behind the project.
“Streaming changed things so much,” she says. “But [Amazon] was really nice to work with… They really cared about launching it. They cared about the press. And I think it worked, because [the special] still lingers.”
The other part? It’s just good comedy. (Exhibit A: The fondness and frequency with which the phrase, “Are y’all walkin’ on purpose?” still pops into my head months after watching the special.)
Now, a new audience of comedy fans will have the chance to experience the special, which drops on SiriusXM March 31 and covers such scintillating topics as Madigan’s aging parents (who raised the comedian and six other children in Florissant), dealing with millennials, and of course, hunting down Sasquatch.
Madigan’s mix of the mundane and the somewhat absurd is what makes her act feel fresh and fun, even after decades of touring and performing, both solo and with other comedy greats. Getting laughs over the airwaves is nothing new for the comedian.
On Madigan’s Pubcast, which is approaching 200 episodes, she shares her thoughts on everything from new chip flavors to Taylor Swift to Area 51. It’s equal parts silly and sincere, and it feels as natural and comfortable as chatting with Madigan herself.
“I just started reading silly stories, and I did enough radio in my life to know how to get a structure going,” she says of the podcast. “I just wanted this one to be goofy and to try to stay away from politics. It’s supposed to be an escape—just fun. It’s what I would talk about if I ran into a friend at the bar.”
NOW STREAMING
Need a laugh? Find Kathleen Madigan’s specials streaming across various platforms.
Hunting Bigfoot (2023): This hourlong stand-up special, filmed at Denver’s Paramount Theatre, covers everything from having elderly parents to life on the road to how to react if you hit Bigfoot. At press time, it was rated 4.8 out of 5 stars, with nearly 800 reviews. Where to stream: Prime Video
Bothering Jesus (2016): This Netflix special takes on such topics as the missing Malaysian Airlines flight, noodling for catfish, and Madigan signing up her parents for Uber. It also features an introduction from and shoutout to her longtime collaborator and “overqualified opening act” Lewis Black. Where to stream: Netflix
Madigan Again (2013): In this highly rated special, Madigan reflects on relatable experiences from her Irish Catholic upbringing, as well as her time spent with the USO in Afghanistan. Some of the best material is pulled from interactions with Madigan’s mother, Vicki. Where to stream: Prime Video
