WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

John Mulaney pays a visit to the garage while certain things in his life are in a state of flux. For one, the status of his TV show is up in the air and his next job is unknown. Marc talks to John about the balancing act between unexpected success, like writing for SNL and getting a sitcom produced by Lorne Michaels, and unpredictable failure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Allie Brosh is the creator of the popular comic Hyperbole and a Half, which is more than just extremely funny. It's been called one of the best contemporary portraits of depression. Allie and Marc talk about the ongoing struggle for sufferers of depression and how it forces Allie to channel her creativity. Also, Joel McHale drops in with some stories about his new movie A Merry Friggin' Christmas....

Comedian Dave Ross and Marc got off on the wrong foot. Luckily, they were able to have this chat in the garage where they realized how much they have in common, like difficult dads, struggles in radio, heroin experimentation and crying. Plus, Pauly Shore stops by to catch Marc up on his life, which includes a new podcast and a new documentary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Jimmy Vivino is the current bandleader on Conan, but during his two decades with the various incarnations of Conan O'Brien's late night shows, Jimmy has also served as an unofficial guitar mentor to Marc Maron. Now Marc brings Jimmy into the garage to learn more about Jimmy's life and career in which he's crossed paths with music royalty like Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Mud...

Dr. Drew Pinsky has been practicing medicine for more than 30 years. Along the way, he became one of America's most recognizable physicians. Dr. Drew tells Marc how he got into the family business when he really wanted to be an opera singer, how he got into show business when he was just trying to ply his trade, and how he gets down on himself because of the people who hate him. Hosted on Acast. S...

Two of Marc's favorite bands, Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, share a common denominator: Frontman David Lowery. Marc and David discuss the eclectic styles of both bands and why Cracker is having a bit of a renaissance with young people. Plus, David shares his thoughts on the challenges posed to songwriters by the rise of digital music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...

Bill Scheft is one of the first people Marc ever saw perform live stand-up comedy. Now Bill is working mainly as a writer, doing jokes for David Letterman since 1991 and using his life experience to write several novels. Bill also has quite the story about the circumstances that led to him replacing Bill Hicks in an infamous late night television moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

You may know Andre Royo as Bubbles from The Wire. For Andre that's both a blessing and a curse. He describes the near-breakdown he had while playing the sympathetic Baltimore street junkie and how the role forever changed his career. Also, Andre and Marc compare life on the Lower East Side in the mid-90s with their current shared neighborhood in gentrified LA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Based on the characters Martin Starr played on shows like Freaks & Geeks, Party Down and Silcon Valley, Marc wasn't sure what to expect. But it turns out Martin's genuinely tranquil nature is rooted in a deep spiritual understanding and the perspective gained from a career that he nearly quit before it really got going. Plus, Jim Gaffigan stops by to talk food, which is what his new book is all ab...

San Francisco in the 1980s was a hot zone of standup comedy and Bob Rubin loomed as large as anyone on the scene. Bob's eccentric and unpredictable style is on display while he talks with Marc in the garage. And even though things still get random and absurd, Bob also talks seriously about his struggles, both biological and chemical, and the drive that allows him to soldier on. Hosted on Acast. Se...

Many people know Larry Wilmore from The Daily Show. Many more will soon know him as the heir to Stephen Colbert's late night slot. But throughout his life, Larry wanted to be known as many things: an athlete, a magician, an actor, a comic, a writer, a producer, a showrunner and more. And along the way, he had to fight Hollywood's notion of what a black entertainer should be. Hosted on Acast. See a...

Before Ms. Pat became the comedian she is today, she was Rabbit, a drug dealing single mom in the ghetto who was shot twice and beaten within an inch of her life many more times than that. Marc gets the full portrait of Patricia Williams, a woman who survived unthinkably tough times and is not afraid to share her truth with audiences around the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...

Chris Parnell adds to WTF's ever-increasing list of SNL alumni with tales of triumph, heartbreak and, of course, Lorne. Chris also talks about his Southern roots, his time as a school teacher and his favorite impressions. Also, Marc pays tribute to a personal hero, S. Clay Wilson, who could use your help at sclaywilson.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Portland comedy scene is booming, with Ian Karmel and Ron Funches being two of its greatest exports. In this double-header episode, Ian tells Marc about becoming a local Portland celebrity and leaving it behind for a soul-crushing experience in Los Angeles. Then Ron expains how he maintains such a cheerful disposition in the face of his demanding responsibilities as the father of an autistic c...

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo is the subject of much rock and roll lore, and Marc wants to get it all on the table. Why did Rivers decide to go to Harvard just as Weezer was taking off? What was he really doing when he dropped off the grid after the failure of Pinkerton? And did he really become celibate? Rivers gives the answers and tells Marc how he feels about the many myths that surround him. H...

Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim created a comedy universe that defies easy explanation. But what Tim and Eric can explain to Marc is how they became friends and developed a signature style in unconventional ways. They also reflect on how that style is evolving as they star in a new TV series and tour the country with a live stage show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Frost never intended to become an actor, let alone be part of some of the most popular comedies in recent memory. Before Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Nick had no goals, no ambition, and a penchant for getting into trouble. But as Nick tells Marc, everything changed one night thanks to a sudden and undeniable friendship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neighbors director Nicholas Stoller is someone who movie studios trust with millions of dollars in production costs. Naturally, Marc wants to know how Nick got that way. He suspects Nick's Harvard education has a lot to do with it, much to Marc's chagrin as someone who went to nearby Boston University and spent his own college career on the outside looking in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Parenthood star Dax Shepard first caught Marc's attention as the barely functional simpleton named Frito in Idiocracy. And while he's had an expansive acting career, starting at Punk'd and leading up to his latest movie This Is Where I Leave You, Dax's life has been defined by his family, his sobriety and his cars. Lots of cars. And lots of racing in those cars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Kathy Griffin stops by for a true throwback WTF episode. It's a throwback because Kathy and Marc spend the first 10 minutes defusing past tension and figuring out the root of their problem. Then with that out of the way, they talk about the alternative comedy scene, Kathy's struggles to fit in with the stand-up crowd and her unlikely breakthrough as a reality TV star. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

When Anna Kendrick was 10 years old, she convinced her parents to drive her from their home in Maine to New York City for auditions. That decision has paid off with a pair of huge award nominations, roles opposite some of the world's biggest movie stars and a multi-platinum hit song. Anna and Marc talk about the many highlights of her young career and why she's always worried that none of it is re...

Jay Bakker was thrust into the world of televangelism as the son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. When their empire came crashing down, Jay struggled to survive the wreckage. He tells Marc about his journey and where it has brought him today. Also, filmmaker Jordan Brady stops by to talk about his new documentary, I Am Road Comic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mac McCaughan from Superchunk is also the founder of one of the biggest and most prolific indy music labels in the country - Merge Records. Mac and Marc talk about the creation of Merge and the evolution of Mac's own musical output. Also, comedian Carol Leifer drops by to talk about her new memoir, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Crying. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

When singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock looks back at the roots of his prolific career, he sees a little Bob Dylan, a little Syd Barrett and a little Doctor Who, to name a few influences. Robyn talks with Marc about his first band The Soft Boys, his mixed feelings about reunions, the fears and compulsions that keep him going, and the elusive nature of originality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

Wanda Sykes is one of the funniest people alive. But Marc remembers Wanda when she was first starting out in the New York comedy clubs and says she was a completely different performer back then. Wanda tells Marc how she found her confidence and became more honest, in both her act and her life. Plus, Wanda explains what happened during her encounter with the President and First Lady. Hosted on Aca...