13 Jul 2026
Hanging with Doctor Z Presents: Christmas with a Z Live Special
Celebrate Christmas with Doctor Z and special guests Bill Hader, Patton Oswalt, Rob Zabrecky, Janet Varney, Rusty Steele, Claudine, & Carmine St Pierre with live music by Eban Schletter
Recorded live at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles
We've reached our initial Indiegogo goal for Season 4 and have now opened a stretch goal! Back Season 4 today and become a part of the problem. Some rewards are limited and others have already sold out! There's even a reward tier that comes with a lock of my exquisite hair, only four remain. Check it out: https://tr.ee/DrZIndiegogoYT
Indiegogo backers get first access to the newest Hanging with Dr. Z Live! at the Pacific Electric with special guest, Will Ferrel, this summer.
Hanging with Doctor Z originated as a YouTube-based talkshow series that launched in February 2021 with three seasons available for viewing. Designed as a retro late night television parody, the series features Dr. Z hosting realworld celebrity guests in fully produced episodes complete with analog visuals, practical sets, and full prosthetic makeup. Notable guests include Hannah Einbinder (2025 Emmy Winner for HBO’s hit show Hacks), Ron Funches (starring in the new season of The Traitors), Will Forte, Patton Oswalt, Jeff Garlin, Jason Alexander, Howie Mandel, David Koechner and even Dana Gould himself. Episodes typically run 20–25 minutes and combine interviews, musical numbers, monologues, and recurring segments. The show has built a cult following among comedy fans, pop culture historians, and Planet of the Apes enthusiasts, earning praise for its production quality, originality, and commitment to character. The creative team includes Executive Producer, Writer & Performer, Dana Gould, Executive Producer, Writer & Director, Robert Cohen, Executive Producer & Writer, Pete Aronson, Producer: Denny Tedesco and Makeup by Dave Rogers. As the series evolves, Hanging with Doctor Z has expanded beyond YouTube into live stage performances and a podcast/video hybrid format, broadening its reach while maintaining its distinctive voice and aesthetic.
For the first time, all audio and video episodes from Seasons 1-3 are available for streaming on Spotify, Apple and more but you can only watch full episodes on YouTube. Season 4 is in development with GRAiNEY PICTURES and expected in the Fall of 2026.
Listen & Watch: https://linktr.ee/hangingwithdoctorz
Full video episodes: / hangingwithdoctorz
Dr. Z is a fully realized satirical persona inspired by the iconic Dr. Zaius from the 1968 film Planet of the Apes, reimagined as a cultured, old Hollywood talk show host with a sharp wit and an uncanny grasp of modern pop culture. While rooted in classic science fiction lore, Dr. Z exists as a standalone comedic character—an aging Hollywood insider offering commentary, interviews, and musical interludes from an alternate entertainment universe. The character blends midcentury television aesthetics with contemporary humor, positioning Dr. Z as both a nostalgic throwback and a timely cultural commentator. His worldview reflects themes of power, nostalgia, cultural decay, and celebrity mythmaking, all delivered with warmth, irony, and theatrical precision.
Dana Gould ( @danagould3457 ) is an American Emmy-nominated comedian, writer, producer, and actor with a career spanning standup comedy, television, and characterdriven satire. He is best known for his work as a writer and producer on The Simpsons, as well as for creating genreblending comedy projects, including his own stand-up, that fuses pop culture and absurdism with sharp satire. A lifelong Planet of the Apes devotee, Gould has performed variations of the Dr. Zaius character in live comedy for years, ultimately evolving the persona into Dr. Z. Under extensive prosthetic makeup applied by veteran FX artist Andy Schoneberg, Gould fully inhabits the character, delivering a consistent voice, physicality, and worldview that has allowed Dr. Z to stand independently from its original inspiration. Through Hanging with Doctor Z, Gould brings together his deep knowledge of classic Hollywood, science fiction, and television history with contemporary comedic sensibilities—positioning the series as both parody and homage.
Season 1
Steven Weber
Tim Meadows
Bobcat Goldthwait
Paget Brewster
Patton Oswalt
Janet Varney
Will Forte
Andy Richter
Dana Gould
Season 2
Dave Foley
Maria Bamford
Ron Funches
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Hank Azaria
Penn Jillette
Hannah Einbinder
Jeff Garlin
Gary Anthony William
Bobcat Goldthwait
David Koechner
Season 3
Kevin Pollak
Laraine Newman
Howie Mandel
Jason Alexander
Svengoolie
Matt Braunger
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
