Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out 200. John Mulaney: He’s Funny and Here’s Why
51 snips
Jan 26, 2026 
John Mulaney, stand-up comedian and SNL writer, chats about touring, theatre life, and how parenthood reshaped his career. They riff on recurring obsessions like monkeys and murder, share road and skydiving stories, and unpack a baffling Frank Sinatra moment. John even brings a buzzer to call out polite platitudes.
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Podcast Builds Long-Term Intimacy
- Mike Birbiglia views the podcast as a way to spend hours with audiences and build intimacy beyond specials.
- Regular conversations can create a long-term relationship with listeners like a road trip together.
The Monkey, The Capsule, And The Photo
- John Mulaney recounts NASA sending a monkey to space, rescuing it, then putting it back in the capsule to recreate a photo.
- He uses the absurdity to underline how humans demand a picture even after near-disaster.
Frustration Comes From Chasing Past Highs
- John Mulaney says his main career frustrations are self-imposed, not structural.
- He chases the quality of past material and sometimes feels he’s chasing a high of earlier work.
