Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Anxiety has always played a major role in Aparna Nancherla's comedy — whether she's joking about her internal preoccupations, or fighting stage fright. Her experience of living with anxiety and depression as a stand-up comedian landed her in the upcoming documentary, "Anxiety Club." She spoke with Rachel about growing into her rage and feeling godlike when she's alone. To listen sponsor-free and s...

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Marc Maron can project cynical misanthrope, but those who have spent countless hours listening to him know that his secret weapon is his vulnerability. He tells Rachel why he's ending his podcast "WTF" despite its enduring popularity and why he's as committed as ever to his work as a standup. His latest special, "Panicked," is out next month. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up fo...

Celine Song's films, "Past Lives" and "Materialists," invite the viewer to just slow down. To take in the silence, a gaze, the moments in between words. In her conversation with Rachel, Celine describes how she tries to slow down in her own life, how she's making peace with laziness and how she thinks of enjoying a good meal as something close to prayer. To listen sponsor-free and support the show...

Jenny Han feels like the same person as her teenage self – which might explain why her books and their adaptations connect so strongly with teen audiences. Her "To All The Boys" and "The Summer I Turned Pretty" franchises are streaming juggernauts – among teens and adults. Jenny spoke with Rachel about the importance of writing about love and why embarrassment feels so close to the surface. To lis...

Michelle Obama says she's never truly been able to realize her own ambition. But now she's changing that. She's saying "no" to what's expected of her and "yes" to what she wants to do, including starting a podcast with her brother, "IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson." She reflects with Rachel on owning her decisions and the words her mom told her at the end of her life. To listen sponsor-...

Kyle MacLachlan says he wouldn't have a career without his friend and longtime collaborator David Lynch, who died earlier this year. His first gig was on Lynch's "Dune" which was followed up by "Blue Velvet" and then by their iconic run together on the series "Twin Peaks". In this bonus episode, MacLachlan shares what it was like to live in Lynch's world. To listen sponsor-free and support the sho...

Kyle MacLachlan is known for his iconic roles in David Lynch classics like "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks," but he's reinvented himself again and again throughout the years. His recent work includes roles in the TV series "Fallout" and "Overcompensating." He's also cultivated a huge following on TikTok and Instagram where his harm is on full display for a new generation of fans. To listen sponsor-f...

Jason Reynolds writes stories that don't talk down to kids. In young adult books like "Long Way Down," "Ghost" and two Miles Morales Spider-Man novels, there is a clear understanding: kids are complicated people, and Jason treats them that way. His newest audio-only book is called "Soundtrack." He talks with Rachel about the value of being a crier and the advice about rest he got from LeVar Burton...

Orville Peck is full of apparent contradictions. As a kid in South Africa, he went from dancing ballet to playing drums in a punk band. He loves musical theater but made a name for himself as a country singer. He sings about vulnerability but covers his face with a mask. Peck talks to Rachel about embracing those contradictions and about starring in "Cabaret" on Broadway. To listen sponsor-free an...

Ramy Youssef's creative pursuits range from stand-up to his semi-biographical Hulu show, "Ramy," to his new animated series, "#1 Happy Family USA." In all of his efforts, he says he's just trying to make work that feels exciting to him. Ramy is one of the costars of the new HBO film, "Mountainhead." He talks to Rachel about his gripe with Santa Claus and reckoning with his mortality. To listen spo...

When Mike Birbiglia tells a story, he tries to make it relatable to everyone in the audience – whether it's tapping into his childhood anxiety, relating his clumsy attempts at self improvement or sharing his earnest fears about his aging parents. Mike's new Netflix special is The Good Life . He shares with Rachel how he learns valuable lessons from writing jokes, and explains how found some peace....

Jonathan Groff has brought his killer vocals and Disney-hero charm to Broadway hits like "Spring Awakening," "Hamilton" and "Merrily We Roll Along." He's nominated for a Tony award for his latest Broadway show, "Just in Time," a musical about singer Bobby Darin. He talks to Rachel about responding to criticism like a 7-year-old and realizing he didn't believe in God at a Youth for Christ camp. To...

Wanda Sykes life has been defined by one act of courage after another. Leaving a safe career for comedy, getting divorced, coming out and surviving breast cancer all took a lot of guts. She shares with Rachel what she learned from each chapter of her life, and how it has made her stand-up stronger. Wanda is on the road for her new tour - it's called Please and Thank Yo u. To listen sponsor-free an...

When Weird Al's debut single, "My Bologna," came out, there wasn't really a model for how a parody artist could have any longevity in their career. Yet Al's figured out how to stay popular for over four decades. Ahead of his summer "Bigger and Weirder" tour, he talks with Rachel about staying weird as he ages, parenthood, and his devoted (some might say obsessive) fans. To listen sponsor-free and...

Joy Harjo is one of the most revered poets in the United States, but she took a winding path to get there. The former U.S. poet laureate spoke with Rachel Martin about a pivotal decision in her childhood that put her on the creative path and how she views writing as a way to have second chances. This spring, Harjo is releasing a new version of her book, For A Girl Becoming. To listen sponsor-free...

Don't be fooled by Brett Goldstein's grumpy exterior – he can't resist a big, open-hearted story. You see it in the TV shows he's acted in and helped create, "Ted Lasso" and "Shrinking." He's about to release a new HBO standup special called "The Second Best Night of Your Life." He spoke with Rachel about what Pixar knows about the afterlife and about finding ways to love annoying people. To liste...

Anyone who has seen Julianne Nicholson in "Mare of Easttown" or "Janet Planet" knows she is really good at portraying grief. In her new show "Paradise," she plays Sinatra, a heartbroken tech billionaire trying to micromanage the end of the world. She's an evil genius who is also a little bit funny. She shares with Rachel an early memory of "outhouse beauty" and her secret to social situations. To...

Elizabeth Olsen is most famous for her role as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But she says her own taste is reflected in indie films she's starred in like "His Three Daughters" and the new sci-fi thriller "The Assessment." She shares with Rachel why she's terrified of dying but is fascinated with death and the joy of idle people watching. To listen sponsor-free, access bonus epis...

John Green keeps busy – from authoring blockbuster young adult novels like "The Fault in Our Stars," to running a YouTube empire with his brother Hank, to publishing his latest nonfiction book, "Everything Is Tuberculosis." His projects share one key goal: to make the world "suck less." John talks to Rachel about how he battles despair and why he's unconcerned with the question of God's existence....

From a young age, Uzo Aduba's parents taught her that she could do anything. That confidence has led to some iconic performances – from Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in "Orange Is the New Black," to Shirley Chisholm in "Mrs. America," to her lead role in the newest Shonda Rhimes production, "The Residence." Uzo talks to Rachel about how motherhood shaped her and why she's made peace with mortality....

Natasha Rothwell can't help but collaborate. She honed her improv skills at the Tokyo Comedy Store which led her to roles in memorable ensemble casts on "Insecure" and "How to Die Alone." Now, her character Belinda is back in the new season of "The White Lotus." Natasha talks with Rachel about bringing her own ideas to the show, the spiritual power of improv and what she's learned about love. To l...

London today is very different from the one Zadie Smith grew up in and the one she wrote about in her debut novel "White Teeth." That is just one of the things Smith is grappling with 25 years after her best-selling book's debut. She talks to Rachel about the difficulty of revisiting the first few pages of "White Teeth," the wisdom only teenagers possess, and fighting despair with crème brûlée. To...

This week we're revisiting our episode with comedian Bowen Yang. The "SNL" cast member and "Las Culturistas" podcast co-host had a big year between being in the film adaptation of "Wicked" and the "Saturday Night Live" 50th anniversary special. He talked with Rachel last spring about living too much in the present, the risks of being real and why the afterlife will definitely have roller coasters....

When Natalie Morales was a kid growing up in Miami, she didn't just have a mango stand, she ran an entire mango monopoly. She's dreamed big ever since, finding success as an actor ("Parks and Recreation," "No Hard Feelings") and director ("Language Lessons," "Plan B"). She chats with Rachel about her new film, "My Dead Friend Zoe" and the important life lesson she learned from her dog, Taco. To li...