Episode 1483 - Dan Soder

Nearly fifteen years ago, Dan Soder and Marc were talking at a comedy club right after they were both fired from their respective radio gigs. Marc responded to that moment by launching this podcast while Dan committed himself to standup, which led back to radio with his show The Bonfire and to acting gigs on shows like Billions. Dan also tells Marc how his early life hardened him to adversity, losing his father and sister to tragic circumstances, and how he learned how to explain most of life thanks to pro wrestling.

Episode 1482 - Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy turned the pain of her abusive upbringing and the resentment she had toward her show business career into the blockbuster memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died. More than a year after its release, Jennette talks with Marc about the perspective she gained now that her story is out in the world, how she separates her Nickelodeon past with her self-actualized present, and how she’s looking to continue giving voice to sensitive topics, like with her new podcast Hard Feelings.

Episode 1481 - Joan Baez

Joan Baez is in the midst of examining her life as the subject of a new documentary, Joan Baez: I Am a Noise. Among the many revelations is that, at a very young age, she gravitated toward sad music. What she learned early on was to embrace the music of struggle as a way to rise above the sadness. Joan talks with Marc about the emergence of the folk scene in Cambridge and Boston, how her deeply ingrained pacifism shaped her activism, and how she put in the work to rebuild her relationship with her son.

Episode 1480 - Doug Stanhope / Louis Katz

It’s another comic double-header with two of Marc’s favorites. Doug Stanhope is back to talk about his new movie The Road Dog, which prompts memories from Doug and Marc about their days doing road gigs when they were just starting out. Also, comedian Louis Katz uses the occasion of his new standup special, Present/Tense, to show how his thought process works, as it swings from the logic of strip clubs to the dangers of global conspiracies within 20 minutes.

Episode 1479 - Rob Halford

Fans know Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford as the Metal God. But he says there’s one guy called Rob Halford and another guy called The Metal God. Now, at 72 years old, Rob is embracing a life where those two personas are separate but the same. Rob talks with Marc about the perspective he’s gained after writing two books about his life and the self-awareness that comes with age. They discuss his coming out story, the court case that saw Judas Priest on the front lines of a First Amendment battle, and the origins of heavy metal.

Episode 1478 - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger likes to focus on life’s victories. That makes for an interesting contrast with Marc, a self-described “obstacle guy.” Arnold and Marc find that their differing approaches to taking on the world make for good conversation about generational change, political awakenings and being useful, which is the subject of Arnold’s new book. They also discuss bodybuilding, James Cameron’s vegan advice, and Arnold’s rivalry-slash-friendship with Sylvester Stallone.

Episode 1477 - Tom Papa

Tom Papa’s last trip to the garage was mostly about his comedy past, reflecting on how he and Marc got to where they are in their chosen profession. This time, Tom and Marc are thinking mostly about their futures, how they’re navigating the comedy world at their ages and success levels while staring at a not-too-distant time when the stage light goes out for good. Just two comedians discussing meaning, maturity, mysticism and maintaining the funny.

Episode 1476 - Larry Charles

Larry Charles always knew he liked comedy but he also knew he liked being a button-pusher. Those preferences are on display in his writing for Seinfeld, his work on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and his direction of movies like Borat, Bruno, and his latest film Dicks: The Musical. Larry and Marc talk about comedy’s role in the world as a display of defiant humanity, their shared appreciation of John Waters, and Larry’s filmmaking experience with Bob Dylan.

Episode 1475 - Les Claypool / Marc Ribot

Les Claypool is the first guest who flew himself to his WTF interview. Whether he’s studying aviation, perfecting fly fishing or starting another band, the Primus founder and bass virtuoso is always doing new things to stave off boredom. Les and Marc talk about his origins, Tom Waits, Adrian Belew, South Park, Sean Ono Lennon, and the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade. Les also mentions that one of his favorite guitar players is the genre-hopping Marc Ribot. So the two Marcs sit down in the garage to talk about classical guitar, being at Woodstock, jazz influences, and Tom Waits again.

Episode 1474 - LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton was on track to join the priesthood early in life. But that actually turned out to be the fast track to acting and by age 19 he was starring in one of the most watched television programs of all time. LeVar and Marc talk about what he learned while making Roots, why he wanted to be on Star Trek more than any other job, and how it feels to have people coming up to him every day of his life to saying “you taught me to read” thanks to Reading Rainbow.

Episode 1473 - Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase plays a pivotal role in the history of American comedy, from his work on the National Lampoon Radio Hour to being the breakout star of Saturday Night Live’s first season to his hit comedy films like Caddyshack and Vacation. Chevy talks with Marc about some of the roads he didn’t take, like staying in a band with his friends Walter and Donald who founded Steely Dan, or staying on SNL past the first season instead of leaving for LA. They also talk about Chevy’s perspective on his short-lived talk show and his relationships with some of the people he’s worked with over the years.

Episode 1472 - Aparna Nancherla

Aparna Nancherla says the self-fulfilling prophecy of imposter syndrome is convincing yourself you don’t belong and acting in a way to prove yourself right. It’s something she’s dealt with no matter what level of success she’s achieved in standup, writing and acting, and something she’s worked to overcome. Aparna and Marc talk about feeling like an outsider even while compiling a list of accomplishments, struggles with performance anxiety, and the persistent question, “What’s the point of anything?”

Episode 1471 - Gary Gulman

When Gary Gulman was on WTF in 2013, he and Marc talked about Gary’s mental health in relation to his comedy. Since that time, Gary has dealt with severe bouts of depression and integrated it into his act, specifically in his 2019 HBO special The Great Depresh. Now, with Gary putting a lot of his thoughts on the pages of his first book, he and Marc revisit the ideas they previously had about comedy and how those perceptions changed as they’ve realized comedy can be a tool to help people feel less alone.

Episode 1470 - Hannah Einbinder

Hannah Einbinder was a fan of WTF as a teenager and drew inspiration from Marc’s conversations with comedians while she considered pursuing a career as one herself. Hannah and Marc talk about her multi-generational Los Angeles family, whose businesses included cattle ranching, brothels and, in the case of her mom Laraine Newman, performing on Saturday Night Live. They also talk about Hannah’s experience making Hacks with Jean Smart, wanting to be like Rachel Maddow, and her time as a cheerleader.

Episode 1469 - Naomi Klein

Naomi Klein was faced with a rather common problem. She was consistently mistaken for someone else. But because Naomi is one of our most perceptive and astute social critics, she was able to to turn that case of mistaken identity into an examination of the many public threats pervading society and how they’re connected by the deliberate blurring of reality and identity. Naomi and Marc talk about all the research and conclusions of her new book, Doppelgänger: A Trip Into The Mirror World.

Episode 1468 - Bernie Taupin

Bernie Taupin is a songwriter responsible for many of the most beloved songs ever recorded. But he actually thinks of himself as a cinematographer, taking what he sees in life and turning those mental snapshots into fantastical stories. Bernie and Marc talk about the origins of his more than 50-years-long partnership with Elton John, his friendship with Alice Cooper, the influence of The Band, and the timelessness of his songs.

Episode 1467 - Michael Symon / Todd Barry

Michael Symon’s food journey has taken many unexpected turns, from revitalizing the Cleveland restaurant scene to changing his own diet after being diagnosed with autoimmune disorders to being at the ground floor of the Food Network phenomenon. Michael and Marc talk about home cooking, fermenting, hyper-local BBQ and the perfect egg. Plus, old friend Todd Barry stops by to talk about his new standup special.

Episode 1466 - Jeff Sharlet

Jeff Sharlet is a reporter Marc turned to regularly during his days as a radio host to help explain the role of religion in American culture and politics. Jeff’s decades on the religion beat put him in a unique position to decode our modern social divisions, a journey he chronicled in his new book The Undertow. Now, as Marc increasingly seeks to understand the oncoming threat of fascism, he once again tuns to Jeff, whose vantage point while writing the book revealed the stark, unflinching reality of America’s present and future.