Senior Citizens Take Center Stage in New Comedy Special “Good Timing with Jo Firestone”

New York comedian Jo Firestone spent her pandemic teaching a stand-up comedy class to senior citizens in the Big Apple. Her new special “Good Timing” on NBC’s Peacock streaming platform highlights the humor of 16 of her senior students.

It’s never too late to give something new a try.

That’s the message in “Good Timing with Jo Firestone,” a new special from the New York comedian now streaming on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock.


Listen: comedian Jo Firestone talks about her work with senior citizens and her special “Good Timing.”


Heidi Gutman / Peacock
Heidi Gutman / Peacock

The special highlights 16 senior citizens who joined Firestone’s stand-up comedy class in NYC. It began in-person shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic forced many classes to go online, where Firestone watched her students continue to show up to class and work on their comedy chops.

The special, which breaks the traditional format of a stand-up set to adopt more of the principles of a documentary, follows her students the week of their first show after reuniting in person for the first time since the pandemic.

“I’ve taught classes at hospitals and senior centers before. This felt like something familiar, but obviously every group was different — and this was definitely a different group,” says Firestone.

“Some people are more experienced comedians and some people are new to it,” adds Firestone, “but all their senses of humor are very different from each and very unique.”

“Good Timing with Jo Firestone” is streaming on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock.

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Author

  • Ryan Patrick Hooper
    Ryan Patrick Hooper is the award-winning host and producer of CultureShift on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. Hooper has covered stories for the New York Times, NPR, Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit, SPIN and Paste magazine.