Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

(Recorded August 2025) Having recently toured together with John Mulaney, Mike and Fred sit down for his first in-studio appearance on Working it Out. They discuss Fred’s SNL audition, his best sketch writing advice, and the manners of navigating video exhibits in museums. Plus, Fred borrows Mike’s guitar to demonstrate how cultures around the world play the acoustic guitar. Please consider donati...

Comedian Aaron Chen may be known internationally for his role on the hit Australian TV series Fisk, but he’s been a working stand-up since the age of 15. In fact, he might be the only Working It Out guest who learned to drive commuting to and from comedy clubs with their dad. Now he’s got a hit Netflix special, Funny Garden. This week, Aaron sits down with Mike to discuss his journey from the subu...

This week, the very funny Jon Rudnitsky joins Mike to answer listener submitted questions. The two of them discuss how long it was before they started earning money from comedy, the complete loss of dignity required to make it as a stand-up, and what it is that keeps them showing up every day. Plus, how Jon caused what he believes to be one of the greatest mistakes in SNL history.  Hosted by Simpl...

Wanda Sykes is one of Mike’s original dream guests for the podcast. Now, on the heels of her new Netflix special, Legacy, Wanda talks with Mike about how they both started in DC, and why Wanda left her job at the NSA to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. Wanda tells the story of how she moved from the writers' room of The Chris Rock Show to acting in sketches, how she got tricked into auditioning...

Filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s resume is a laundry list of hits: Project Hail Mary, The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and more. Their success with projects that didn’t initially seem like good ideas has even spawned a verb in Hollywood, “to Lord and Miller” something. Now they sit down with Mike to discuss the positive and negative ramifications of that. T...

This week Mike and Robby Hoffman sit down for their first in-depth conversation like, as Robby puts it, two cats cautiously getting to know each other. Mike and Robby work out new jokes about vending machines and AI, share advice about marriage, and Robby begs Mike’s fans to stop sending him emails. Plus, Robby tells the stories of how she got cast in Hacks, and how her outspokenness at a writers...

(Recorded October 2025) The great Jenny Slate joins Mike this week for a wide-ranging conversation about getting hypnotized after being fired from SNL, a graduation speech Jenny gave to a class of one person, and making art to feel less lonely. Plus, jokes and stories about seeing your friends naked, improv classes for the elderly, and the time Jenny’s faked case of appendicitis went too far. Plea...

Ahead of the release of his new album “Everyone For Ten Minutes,” Jack returns to Working It Out. Mike and Jack break open why Jack has never listened to Mike’s podcast, what Jack wanted to say about marriage and loneliness on his new album, and what Bill Burr, Frank Langella, Jon Bernthal, Andy Milonakis, and the Indigo Girls have in common. Plus, Mike and Jack play guitar as they work out a new...

This week, Pete joins the pod to talk about his new special “Silly Silly Fun Boy,” work out more jokes, and of course roast Mike a lot more. The two discuss the concept of comedy justice, the benefits of a YouTube special, and why there’s no music for rich people. Plus, against all odds, Pete manages to slip in a piece of shameless self-promotion so shameful he asks Mike to cut it out afterwards. ...

British comedian Nish Kumar returns to the podcast to discuss the humbling nature of stand-up comedy, lessons learned from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and more. Nish explains the concept of his new tour, “Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy,” and how he finds the comedy within his pessimistic views about humanity. Plus, Mike and Nish discuss different kinds of heckling, and why Nish’s voice cau...

In the wake of the release of his new special “Ramy Youssef: In Love,” Mike welcomes Ramy Youssef back for his third appearance on the podcast. The two discuss why Ramy cannot reveal the price of his wedding nor the price he would pay to hear his dog talk for a day, what it’s like to write from the blank page, and what major celebrity might have stolen Ramy’s look. Plus, Mike has a few questions f...

Since The Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone was last on the podcast, he survived a nearly 20 foot fall from a ladder. Now Jorma tells the full ladder story and explains how the near death experience changed his life. Plus, Jorma talks about directing his new movie, Over Your Dead Body, starring Jason Segel and Samara Weaving, and how he explained to his wife that he was making a comedy about someone t...

(Recorded May 2025) Nikki Glaser returns to the podcast for the first time since her acclaimed performances as the host of the Golden Globes and on the Roast of Tom Brady. Nikki breaks down her approach to the Golden Globes, explains her perspective on controversial comedy topics, and explores the possibility of a “vegan hour” of comedy. Plus, Nikki’s awkward encounter with Lana Del Ray. Please co...

Lin-Manuel Miranda called Mike up a few months ago to say he wanted Mike to meet comedian and author Kevin Fredericks. This week, Mike sits down with him for the first time and the two of them break open Kevin’s new solo show “Grief Sucks,” which Kevin wrote about his brother’s death. The two discuss how to make the darkest topics funny, how being a comic is mostly about failing and then doing it...

The last time comedian Chris Fleming was on Working it Out, the episode was titled “He Should Be Way More Popular.” In the 2 years since then Mike’s wish has come true. Chris and Mike chat about the pros and cons of having a higher profile in comedy, including the protective steps needed to avoid legal action from Adam Driver over a bit. Mike also takes the chance to respond to the shots Chris tak...

(Recorded February 2025) Nathan Lane sits down with Mike and recounts moments from his legendary career — discussing what it was like to work with Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Robin Williams. He shares what he likes most in a director, who he’s jealous of, and what he remembers of twenty-something year old Mike. Plus, an incredible story about working with Joaquin Phoenix on the film Beau is Afra...

Mike welcomes author, actor, and filmmaker Cazzie David to the podcast and right away, Mike challenges the notoriously misanthropic Cazzie to list five things she loves. It takes a while. Then, Cazzie breaks down her new book of essays, Delusions, which she says her mom found “disturbing,” and Cazzie talks about co-directing the indie film I Love You Forever. Plus, Cazzie’s close call with a rabid...

Working It Out all-timer Taylor Tomlinson returns to the podcast this week on the heels of the release of her new Netflix special, “Prodigal Daughter.” Mike and Taylor talk through what they do when they get stuck on a bit, what they’d do if they found out they were dating their cousin, and how being a stand-up is sometimes just telling 300 people a secret you weren’t ready to share. Plus, lots of...

Ali Siddiq is one of the most prolific storytellers in comedy. Although they work in a similar format, Ali and Mike’s paths have never crossed until now. Now they sit down to discuss the nuances of comedic storytelling, including how to make specific topics relatable to audiences, and Ali explains how he made his own path in comedy after serving six years in prison on drug charges. Plus, Ali and M...

Beloved British comedian James Acaster and Mike have never met but they have a lot in common, including brushes with death early in their lives that influenced their comedy. James and Mike discuss James’s experience with hecklers, which is the subject of James’s new special Hecklers Welcome. Plus, James talks about having Robert De Niro on his podcast Off Menu, and he shares the best pre-show ritu...

Best of WIO: Bob Odenkirk (Recorded July 2025) Bob Odenkirk was already a comedy legend (SNL, The Ben Stiller Show, Mr. Show with Bob and David) before he took a left turn into dramatic acting with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Now he’s entered yet another new phase as an unlikely action star in films like the Nobody series. Bob sits down with Mike to discuss how anger works in comedy and act...

Connor Ratliff is a beloved cult comedy figure known for his award-winning podcast Dead Eyes and his long-running live show/YouTube series The George Lucas Talk Show. He also played an improv student in Mike’s film Don’t Think Twice, which is a bit of a winking joke because Connor is one of the most experienced and revered improvisers on the scene. Mike and Connor go deep on improv comedy process,...

Heidi Gardner went from being a hairdresser in LA to joining the Groundlings to 8 seasons on SNL, where she created characters like “Dianne, The Mom Who's Only Read About New York on Facebook” and “A Woman Who Insists She's Not Mad.” Heidi talks with Mike about her SNL experience, which included hosting a tailgate party in her dressing room for Travis Kelce, and she shares the lessons she learned...

For the 200th episode of Working It Out, Mike sits down with one of his oldest friends and one of the podcast’s first ever guests, John Mulaney. The two discuss monkeys wearing space suits, old stories from the road, and how John’s career changed after having kids. They work out new jokes about the time John asked Mike to go skydiving, getting yelled at by substitute teachers, and a story about an...

This week Mike sits down with comedian Jordan Jensen. A master of turning taboo topics into comedy- as seen in her Netflix special Take Me With You- Jordan explains how her fearless, no filter stage persona coexists with her emotional, more vulnerable side. Plus, the story of how caring for her paralyzed friend led her to stand-up, why Jordan almost bit Laura Dern on the set of Bradley Cooper’s fi...