On Tuesday, June 10, more than 60 people packed into “Dad’s Garage Theatre “for a live taping of the “What’s Good, Atlanta?” podcast, a civic storytelling show that blends comedy, poetry and public interest.
Produced by local creatives Mark Kendall and David Perdue (no relation to the former U.S. Senator from Georgia). The show brought together a mix of guests, including Theresa the Songbird and Jon Goode, as well as community partners, including the “Little Free Contentious Library,” members of which handed out banned books. It was an evening that was part civic experiment, part comedy show and fully Atlanta.
After the event, I spoke with Kendall and Perdue about their goals for “What’s Good Atlanta?” and the deeper role humor can play in helping people engage with serious issues.
“A lot of people I know avoid the news because it just feels like too much,” Kendall said. “We wanted to see if we could create feelings of joy around civic engagement, rather than shame or dread.”
According to a 2024 AP-NORC poll, a majority of American adults report limiting their political news consumption due to fatigue and information overload. But when people tune out entirely, they risk missing important information that may affect them or their communities.
That’s where comedy comes in, not as an escape but as an entry point.
“I think good comedy, you know, good comedy laughs at a thing, and we all can appreciate that,” Perdue said. “I feel like great comedy gets you to laugh with — it’s one thing to be like, ‘that’s stupid’ and then we all laugh. It’s another thing like, ‘don’t we agree that that’s stupid?’ It’s like another form of deeper connection… not just understand the joke, but also like, be in it with you.”
That subtle difference, laughing with, instead of at, is a defining part of the show’s tone. Whether it’s cracking jokes about potholes or the complexities of local government, Kendall and Perdue aim to create a space where people can share laughter and still leave thinking.
Kendall said the show began as a civic experiment funded by the Center for Artistic Activism. “They wanted to see if we could blend art and activism in a joyful way,” he said. “We just tried it, and it worked.”
In many ways, Atlanta itself is the third character in “What’s Good, Atlanta?”
“There’s so much change happening in the city right now,” Kendall said. “But also a lot of history and voices that need to be preserved. We try to highlight that—both the challenges and the celebrations.”
From poking fun at transit delays to spotlighting local “superheroes” like Magnet Man, a resident who built a giant rolling magnet to clear nails and scrap metal from Atlanta roads, Perdue and Kendall want people to stay engaged with their city.
“People rally around things they hate way too easily,” Perdue said. “We’re trying to rally around what we like. Hopefully, when people watch the show, they remember there’s still a lot to love about Atlanta and that we’re not alone in wanting it to be better.”
This summer, Atlanta Way 2.0 and SaportaReport are partnering on an initiative to strengthen the civic fabric of greater Atlanta through journalism. We have two amazing interns who will share their journey in our weekly column.
Creatives use comedy to spark civic connection by blending humor with relatable social moments, allowing people to feel more open to conversations that might otherwise feel heavy. Through playful expressions, witty observations, and culturally familiar symbols, they offer a light way for communities to engage with shared concerns. Even something as casual as referencing a side eye meme may give audiences a fresh sense of possibility to connect, reflect, and maybe rethink how they relate to others around them.