Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

Randall Park has brought his one of a kind comedic approach to Trainwreck, Fresh Off the Boat, Veep, and the Marvel Universe. Randall reveals how he and Ali Wong scored the Keanu Reeves cameo for their film "Always Be My Maybe." Mike shares a dark version of the children’s joke “Why was 6 afraid of 7?” and Randall explains why collecting turtle figurines is indeed a skill. https://www.kulturecity.org/

Mike met Jim Gaffigan in 1997 when he cold-called Jim’s landline. They went out for, of course, pizza and Jim gave him advice that Mike has not only used but also shares with others. The two comics discuss the insanity of charging large pizza prices for mediums size gourmet pies, deciding not to curse on stage, and what happens when a non-political comedian has had enough. It’s Jim Gaffigan like you’ve never heard him before. https://www.theimaginesociety.org/

For the 50th episode Mike welcomes Kate Micucci, another member of the “Don’t Think Twice” cast. Kate is one half of the folk comedy duo Garfunkel & Oates and her creative talents stretch from music to acting to visual art. Kate shares some of her latest cartoons-in-progress and the two friends go deep on postpartum depression and its lesser known cousin “post-artum depression.“ The episode goes from silly to serious to nostalgic the way the best friendships do. https://826national.org/

In 2015 Mike filmed “Don’t Think Twice” where Keegan-Michael Key played a guy who got cast on a fictional version of SNL. This year Keegan hosted the *actual* SNL in a delightful case of life imitating art imitating life. Today Keegan and Mike nerd out about live sketches vs. filmed Key and Peele sketches, the wisdom of Robert Deniro, and how Keegan seems to be able to do anything, including his most recent role in the new musical comedy series Schmigadoon! https://rfkhumanrights.org/

Judd Apatow recently saw Mike's entire new show in progress, and he's got a lot of feedback. As they break apart Judd's notes, they veer into topics like dark joy vs. light joy, why we exercise, and how many days per week it's appropriate to eat ice cream. Plus, Mike details a serious argument he had with his daughter Oona about dinosaurs. This episode is an all-timer. Judd and Mike are truly working it out. https://826national.org/

You can hear the excitement in Mike's voice as he welcomes legendary author Malcolm Gladwell, host of Revisionist History and author of 'Outliers' as well as his latest, 'The Bomber Mafia.' Malcolm brings Gladwellian theory to why the re-telling of jokes is never as funny. They riff on evil golf courses, evil search engines, & where that YMCA pool smell might actually come from. Even Malcolm’s mom Joyce makes a cameo. This may just be the tipping point for Working It Out. https://www.yesscholars.org/

Mike is joined this week by Academy Award-winning actor Brie Larson whose films range from Captain Marvel to Room as well as Trainwreck, where her character Kim is married to Mike’s character Tom. Mike bounces jokes off of Brie about people on the internet being angry and vocal about Mike and Brie’s characters being a married couple. The result is hilarious, honest, and ultimately lands on Brie’s joke advice that just might work! In this universe! https://thejewishmuseum.org/buy/donation

Before they became comedians, Mike and Neal both got their start working the door at different comedy clubs. Now, they sit down for a discussion of what it was like for Neal to co-create Chapelle’s Show, and the best advice that Neal received from Chris Rock on his hit Netflix special, “3 Mics.” Plus, new material about protesting yourself, macaroni and a powder intended to represent cheese, and how apologies can feel like a fade-away jump shot. Please allow Mike and Neal to show you to your seats. https://txcivilrights.org/

Mike is a huge admirer of Sarah Silverman and in this episode Sarah brings jokes, stories, and answers to tough questions like, “Why do so many of our comedian friends die young?” Along the way they discuss “coke lyrics,” Sarah’s priceless memory of Joan Rivers, and a story from when Sarah was a kid that is so insane that you actually have to hear it. https://www.kiva.org/

This episode has it all. Bill’s time at SNL. Bill’s time at South Park. Bill’s work at Pixar. Bill’s impression of Mike and Mike’s impression of Bill. Bill’s collaboration with Mulaney and Bill’s discussion of craft in co-creating and writing and acting on the Emmy award-winning HBO hit “Barry.” It’s got jokes. It’s got stories. It even has a moment when Mike forces Bill to compare himself to The Beatles. If that’s not enough, today (June 7) is Bill's birthday. https://www.everytown.org/