Jordan Klepper Is Obsessed With These British Comedies | Sorry Not Sorry
Jordan Klepper has spent years finding comedy in American politics as a host of The Daily Show. So his answer to a question about shows that deserve more attention was bound to be interesting. He mentioned Tim Robinson and praised The Chair Company (2025) and I Think You Should Leave (2019), but then his recommendations took a decidedly British turn.
"I'm a big British comedy fan, and so my comfort watches are like Peep Show," Klepper told JustWatch while promoting the news satire show. "But anything that is Alan Partridge to me is the pinnacle of comedy. I think Americans should have more access to anything Steve Coogan does," he said about the comedian who created Partridge, as a parody of British sports presenters.
"I think he has created the ultimate comedy character and sustained it in so many formats for decades," Klepper added about Coogan. "And so whenever I talk to a comedy nerd, I'm like, 'That's what I want to talk to you about.'" Klepper's admiration for Coogan makes total sense since he does very similar work on The Daily Show.
Jordan Klepper Has a Lot in Common With Alan Partridge
Coogan's Alan Partridge has been one of British comedy's most recognizable characters for decades. Alan made his debut as a broadcaster who wants to be seen as clever and sophisticated even when his own behavior makes that really difficult. He first appeared on British radio and television in the 1990s, and Coogan has continued returning to the character ever since.
Klepper has his own experience with the kind of television persona that Coogan takes to ridiculous extremes. As a Daily Show (1996) correspondent, he has spent years interviewing people and attending rallies, while maintaining the familiar tone of a television reporter. The difference between them is that Klepper is usually trying to expose stupidity, while Alan is often responsible for creating it.
Klepper also singled out 2003's Peep Show as one of his comfort watches, which is an odd description for a series where everyone is having a terrible time. The show follows roommates Mark Corrigan (David Mitchell) and Jeremy Usbourne (Robert Webb), who couldn't be more different. Mark wants a stable career and a respectable life. Jeremy is more interested in music and women.
The show's point-of-view format means viewers don't just see what Mark and Jeremy do. We also get to hear what they're thinking. Mark can be having a perfectly normal conversation while internally worrying about every possible way it could go wrong. Jeremy can say something inappropriate and then immediately reveal an even more inappropriate thought.
Mark and Jeremy are constantly making terrible choices, while worrying about work, money, relationships, and what other people think of them. That might be why Klepper considers the show a comfort watch. People tend to gravitate toward things they find relatable. And there's nothing more relatable than watching characters who are dealing with the same things you are.
Why to Watch 'Alan Partridge' and 'Peep Show' (And What to Watch After)
If you've never watched Alan Partridge, I'm Alan Partridge (1997) is one of the best places to start. The series picks up with Alan after his broadcasting career takes a serious hit, leaving him trying to rebuild his reputation. The character also becomes funnier the longer you spend with him because Coogan has spent decades perfecting his persona.
Peep Show is a different kind of comedy. But it's just as easy to get hooked on once you settle into its rhythm. The show doesn't need big premises or elaborate setups. Mark and Jeremy can turn an ordinary day into a complete mess all by themselves. If Peep Show and Alan Partridge are already in your rotation, The Thick of It is the obvious next stop.
The 2005 political comedy follows ministers, advisers and government staffers as they try to survive political scandals, bad decisions and the journalists waiting to report on them. It has the same cynical sense of humor that makes British comedies so easy to binge, but the political setting makes it extra entertaining.
The show turns political spin into opportunities for some of the funniest insults on television. For anyone who enjoys watching Klepper put people under pressure on The Daily Show, The Thick of It offers a much more chaotic version of what happens when the cameras are still rolling, and nobody has any idea what they're doing.
