Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

Comedian Chris Distefano shares lessons in failure, including a bad set leading to a Letterman booking. They dissect his famous 9/11 story and talk about his worst gig involving a knife. The episode also explores family, authenticity in comedy, and navigating parenthood.

Mike welcomes Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, aka Please Don’t Destroy, known for their wildly popular shorts on SNL. Mike is determined to get Martin to talk more than he did on Pete Holmes’s podcast. The group shares what they like and dislike about each other, and break down what it’s like to be both sketch writers and filmmakers on SNL. Plus, what it’s like to work with Bad Bunny in a Shrek costume and get roasted by Taylor Swift.Please Consider Donating To: Meals on Wheels Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Comedian Roy Wood Jr discusses the evolution of his stand-up material, sharing insights into crafting jokes about sensitive topics like his father's infidelity. They explore the controversial aspects of stand-up comedy, react to not taking over The Daily Show, and discuss live performances and comedy versatility. The speakers also challenge the stereotype of dads as losers and share their process of crafting jokes, including humorous observations about drugs.

Experienced stand-up comedian Maddie Wiener joins Mike Birbiglia to discuss the relationship between anxiety and comedy. They explore Maddie's journey as a comedian and the wisdom she gained from Nikki Glaser. Topics include panic attacks, the challenges of touring, personal finance app Rocket Money, and humorous anecdotes about urgent care confusion.

Ronny Chieng, known for his chic onstage wardrobe and comedy career, returns to discuss the similarities between law and comedy, controversies surrounding the Daily Show, and his refusal to reveal his actual birthday. They also explore comedy and fashion, show business concepts, and the challenges of constantly coming up with new material as comics.

Rosebud Baker, writer on SNL and That Damn Michael Che, returns to talk about the challenges of incorporating parenthood into comedy, pitching ideas for sketch shows, the camaraderie in writers' rooms, humorous family dynamics, life-changing perspectives, and working things out in comedy and life.

John Early, recently nominated for an Emmy and a Critics Choice Award, joins Mike to discuss avant-garde comedy, Brittany Spears impressions, and John's new Max special. They also talk about John's experience of coming out to his best friend and explore the complexities of sentimentality and the meaning of life.

Ray Romano jokes about marriage, Ramy Youssef's funny uncle, Rachel Feinstein's spot-on impressions, Mike's deep confessions about friendships with Tom Papa and Gary Gulman, and Ira Glass helps work out Mike's jokes and life.

Beth Stelling returns to the podcast. They discuss her desire to be authentic on stage, touring together, and the parallels between stand-up comedy and professional field hockey.

Jimmy Carr, a global comedy sensation renowned for his dark humor, returns to chat with Mike Birbiglia. They delve into the edgy nature of dark comedy and reflect on the lessons learned from public cancellations. Jimmy also shares insights on the pursuit of personal improvement in comedy. Their conversation highlights the therapeutic power of laughter and its role in connecting people, addressing themes of mental health, grief, and the complexities of parenting—all wrapped in humor and authenticity.