Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart
Episode: How Sam Rogal Finds the Humor in 'The Power Broker'
Date: March 3, 2026

Overview

This episode of "All Of It" explores how comedian Sam Rogal turns the dense, often infuriating subject of Robert Moses and urban planning into sharp comedy. Rogal, the creator and performer behind "The Power Joker"—a live monthly comedy show at Caveat NYC—joins Alison Stewart to discuss turning the weighty subject matter of Robert Caro’s Pulitzer-winning doorstop, The Power Broker, into laughs. Stewart and Rogal delve into the origins, format, challenges, and successes of the show, juggling humor with historical weight, and building a surprisingly passionate multigenerational community around New York’s most controversial city builder.

Key Discussion Points

The Genesis of "The Power Joker"

• How It Started

  • Rogal first read The Power Broker at the pandemic’s onset, like many New Yorkers.
    • "I thought, why not read a book that is too heavy to bring on the subway?” (Sam Rogal, 02:52)
    • The book’s revelations about Moses' legacy left him "furious"—a reaction he found widespread.
  • Later, producer Evan Barden joined in after the "99% Invisible" book club, and together they found comedic potential in casting Moses as a powerless late-night talk show host.
  • "Wouldn't it be funny to have this guy who was so powerful and controlling have to get laughs...?" (Sam Rogal, 03:26)

• From Urban Planner to Comedy Villain

  • Rogal notes that like Colbert’s persona on "The Colbert Report," his Moses is both villain and butt of the joke.
    • "I think I'm the villain of The Power Joker. And I’m also the butt of all the jokes... because we want people laughing at Moses and at his policies.” (Sam Rogal, 04:07)

• Why a Late Night Format?

  • Rogal sees comedic potential in Moses navigating a modern audience and interviewing ideological opposites, noting, “Just putting them together on stage we thought would be funny.” (Sam Rogal, 05:26)

Building The Character and Show

• Influences and Style

  • Rogal’s Moses combines the real man’s stiff public persona with exaggerated Borscht Belt, Carson-esque showmanship.
  • "We wanted... to make him a little more bombastic and a little more energetic…something that matches my strengths as a performer as well.” (Sam Rogal, 05:56)

• Show Format

  • Sketch cold open tied to the evening’s topic.
  • A comedic explainer video for the uninitiated—a must for a book as daunting as The Power Broker.
    • “...our audience is very educated...when Caro comes up, he always gets an applause break. I think we might be the only comedy show in the city where Robert Caro gets applause.” (Sam Rogal, 07:19)
  • Rogal/Moses monologue, topical and crowd-work.
  • Guest comedians perform themed sets before a main interview (Moses in character) and a musical guest.
  • Every show ends with a call to action connected to the night’s subject.
    • "Here is some cause that needs your voice, your support, your donation..." (Sam Rogal, 08:20)

Themes, Guests & Community

• Topic and Guest Selection

  • Show themes mostly follow guest expertise. For example, a show with district leader Luke Olson centered on low-level NYC politics.
    • “We have a list of themes...but oftentimes, we’re just like, hey, let’s see whoever we can get, and then kind of build a show around them.” (Sam Rogal, 08:39)
  • The audience includes teachers, housing advocates, urban planning students, comedians, and transit nerds.
    • "We just got people from kind of all walks of life who are interested in urbanism." (Sam Rogal, 12:07)

• Making Urbanism Funny and Approachable

  • Rogal as “Moses” often plays the clueless authority, letting real experts break things down.
    • “To make it fun, I, as Moses, can also be an idiot...opens the door for people.” (Sam Rogal, 09:19)
  • Listeners point out Moses’s real talk-show appearances and even a disastrous public access stint.
    • "According to Caro, he ignored his guests and just lectured in monotone to the camera.” (Listener Text read by Alison Stewart, 17:55)

Tackling the Darker Side of Moses’s Legacy

• Addressing Difficult History
  • Rogal acknowledges Moses’ real-life bigotry and harm, aiming to handle tough topics with care and by bringing in educated guests.
    • "We try to handle it as delicately as we can, you know, and also allow people more educated than us to be the ones to really delve into it and discuss it.” (Sam Rogal, 11:33)

Creative Team & In-Jokes

• Cast and Deep Cuts

  • Rogal cites a rotating cast of comedians in roles as Nelson Rockefeller, Jane Jacobs, and mayors (“fleshing out” reference in-jokes for The Power Broker-savvy audience).
  • “I always have a yellow legal pad with me on the show, which is something that Moses used throughout his career. It’s a little nod again...” (Sam Rogal, 13:45)

• Physical and Musical Comedy

  • Rogal uses physicality in his act: “I allow my body to sort of radiate comedy during the show…” (14:22)
  • Musical guests provide “just a breather” to keep the show’s pace lively (14:45)

Notable Guests and Aspirations

• Getting Notable (and Unlikely) Guests
  • Rogal shares how Zoran Mamdani joined as a guest just as his candidacy became serious—he stuck with the show, participating in a “mock debate” with Moses.
    • "I thought he was going to drop out until the moment he walked in the door. But, hey, he kept his commitment. He spent a full hour with us." (Sam Rogal, 15:27)
  • Dream guests: Robert Caro, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Lin Manuel Miranda.
    • "Anyone connected with the city...Lin Manuel Miranda, is another person we've really wanted...He really loves New York so much that we'd love to have him on." (16:31)

Challenges & Future Plans

• Growing the Show

  • Expanding reach and digital presence is a major goal; Rogal wants to tour the show to other cities—if audiences know or care about Moses!
    • “I mean, we’d love to...do a Philadelphia show, take the show to Toronto...about these other cities and allow them to have the same experience.” (Sam Rogal, 17:17)
    • "Is Moses that well known that you could take it around the country? That's a great question. Probably not...But the success here leads us to believe there is a population...interested in how your city functions." (17:31)

• Upcoming Shows

  • March 22: guest Jane August, covering NYC museums.
    • "Jane is a person who had a big social media project...She went to all 150 museums in New York." (18:16)
  • April 11: show on New York and movies, with Griffin Newman and David Sims (Blank Check Podcast).
    • "We're gonna talk about...the film industry again, how it buoys New York, what the process for filming in New York is like and how it brings attention to it." (Sam Rogal, 18:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the genius of Caro’s book:
  "For any New Yorker who reads that book...it will make you furious. It will boil your blood and curl your toes." (Sam Rogal, 02:52)

• On Moses’s villainy and the show’s comedic approach:
  “I think I'm the villain of The Power Joker. And I’m also the butt of all the jokes…” (Sam Rogal, 04:07)

• On audience makeup:
  "We have, like, urban planning students...other fellow comedians...teachers...a pretty diverse group. Evan used to fly her outside...the Transit Museum, which had a big Moses exhibit..." (Sam Rogal, 12:07)

• On jokes for the superfans:
  "I always have a yellow legal pad with me on the show, which is something that Moses used...little nod again..." (Sam Rogal, 13:45)

• On Moses public access TV:
  "According to Caro, he ignored his guests and just lectured in monotone to the camera." (Listener comment via Alison Stewart, 17:55)

Episode Timestamps

• 01:39 – Introduction to Sam Rogal and "The Power Joker"
• 02:52 – Rogal’s Power Broker “origin story”
• 03:56 – Why a late night talk show?
• 05:53 – How Rogal shaped his Moses persona
• 06:48 – Full breakdown of the show’s format
• 09:19 – Making dense topics accessible and humorous
• 11:14 – Discussing Moses’s racist legacy and comedic boundaries
• 12:07 – Who attends and why
• 13:33 – Cast, research, Power Broker “deep cuts”
• 14:22 – Physical comedy in the show
• 14:45 – Role of music in the format
• 15:04 – Booking Zoran Mamdani; guest interactions
• 16:13 – Dream guest wish-list
• 17:02 – Aspirations for show growth
• 18:16 – Next show and topics (NYC museums, movies)

Conclusion

Alison Stewart’s talk with Sam Rogal reveals how The Power Joker uses wit, absurdity, and deep local knowledge to foster fun and community around New York’s most infamous architect of the modern city. Rogal’s blend of satire, history, and audience participation is a fresh way for New Yorkers—and urban nerds everywhere—to laugh at the (sometimes disastrous) forces shaping the places we live. The show continues to mine both the humor and the heavy realities of Moses’s reign, proving that even the densest biography can spark fresh takes—and big laughs.

Next show: March 22nd, 5pm at Caveat NYC, with guest Jane August.