Chrissie Hynde was just an unabashed rock and roll music fan from the Midwest before a journey to England turned her into a genuine rock star and the face of The Pretenders. Chrissie tells Marc about her early influences, including biker culture, underground comics and FM disc jockeys. Plus, she explains why The Pretenders wouldn’t have happened without Lemmy. This episode is sponsored by Prosper and Audible.
Legendary producer Norman Lear is responsible for shows that not only changed television, but altered the culture at large. At 92 years old, Norman joins Marc in the garage to reflect on his early life and the path that led him to All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, and so much more. This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron, Cards Against Humanity, Casper and Stamps.com.
Rhett Miller was tagged with the “alt” label early in his career, as in alt-country. But as Rhett explains to Marc, he was actually emo before emo was a thing, and that brooding, angst-filled teenager in Texas fought through some truly dark times in order to emerge as an accomplished singer-songwriter. This episode is sponsored by A Merry Friggin’ Christmas, Draft Kings and Prosper.
With her wit and kind nature, Julia Sweeney proves she can make an irresistibly entertaining conversation out of topics like death, cancer, loss of faith, divorce, alcoholism, insecurity and, of course, SNL. Plus, food talk in advance of Thanksgiving with Marc’s old friend Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful and author of Eat More Better. This episode is sponsored by Untuckit.com, The Frame, Xero and Draft Kings.
Bret Easton Ellis is still the guy who wrote Less Than Zero, American Psycho and Lunar Park, but he’s also way different than that guy from decades ago. Bret and Marc compare notes on evolving with age and trying to keep it all together. Plus, Marc’s old buddy Mick Foley drops by to talk about his new life as Santa Claus, as documented in the new movie I Am Santa Claus. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, The Frame, Draft Kings and Xero.
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. This episode is sponsored by The Frame, Hello Ladies: The Movie, Stamps.com and Prosper.
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. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, Squarespace and Draft Kings.
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. This episode is sponsored by The Frame, Blue Apron, Prosper and Stamps.com.
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, Muddy Waters, Phil Spector and more. This episode is sponsored by Draft Kings and Audible.
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. This episode is sponsored by Stamps.com, Warby Parker and UnTuckIt.com.
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. This episode is sponsored by Prosper and Shipstation.com.
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. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, UnTuckIt.com, Blue Apron and Stamps.com.
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. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, The Great Courses, Shipstation and FanDuel.
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 about. This episode is sponsored by FanDuel and Stamps.com.
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. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, The Great Courses, Loot Crate and FanDuel.
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. This episode is sponsored by Drag City Records, Adam and Eve, Shipstation.com, Stamps.com and Loot Crate.
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. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, Audible, FanDuel and UnTuckIt.
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. This episode is sponsored by Adam and Eve, Stamps.com and Blue Apron.