Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out 186. Sebastian Maniscalco: What Is He Even Doing Here?
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Sep 29, 2025 
Sebastian Maniscalco, a high-energy stand-up comedian and actor, joins for a lively chat about the ups and downs of parenting and the art of joke-writing. He shares hilarious memories from his waitstaff days serving stars like Robert De Niro. The duo explores emotional moments, revealing what makes them cry, and discusses how family trips inspire comedic material. Sebastian also reflects on his evolution as a performer and the challenges of adapting his stage persona. Plus, he dives into his charitable work with Tag You're It!
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Give Structure To Podcast Conversations
- When guests repeatedly hear the same podcast questions, adjust by asking specific, structured prompts to create useful conversation.
- Provide topics or a structure because some guests prefer guided over free-form talk.
Audience Mirrors And Universality
- Comedy audiences often mirror the performer culturally, but material with universal themes can reach broader groups.
- Sebastian believes his comedy could attract more diverse crowds if exposed to them.
Live Life First, Write Jokes Later
- Sebastian's material grows from living moments and then being refined onstage rather than from written punchline-first construction.
- He records performances, reviews them, and uses stage work as his principal drafting process.