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PODCAST

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out

Comedian Mike Birbiglia welcomes a different comedian or creator each week and together they work out original, untested material. And, occasionally, uncomfortable topics. Join them as they work it out.

comedy comedy interviews

All Episodes

00:58:30

76. Jessi Klein: This Is the Reason For Comedy

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/07/11

Jessi Klein is an Emmy-award winning comedian, writer, actor, and author, with a resume that includes Inside Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live, Transparent, Kroll Show, and the voice of Jessi Glaser on Big Mouth. On top of all that, WIO listeners may remember her from Mike’s film Sleepwalk With Me where her character places a pizza pillow around Mike’s neck and then sprays him with tomato sauce. In this episode the two old friends punch up jokes and discuss why writing about being a parent can be a

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00:54:51

75. Zarna Garg: Humor is a Strategy

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/06/27

Comedian Zarna Garg immigrated to the U.S. from India at age 16 and started performing stand-up comedy in her forties. As Zarna’s daughter Zoya explained in her New York Times-published college essay, it was not an easy path. Zarna sits down with Mike to discuss how humor has always been a strategy in her life, from escaping an impending arranged marriage to navigating life in a new country. Plus stories and jokes about upgrading her husband, trashing her mother-in-law on stage, and why Zarna

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00:59:05

74. Ben Stiller: Get Some Sleep

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/06/13

This week Ben Stiller joins Mike to talk about everything from leaving the SNL cast within weeks of joining to early nerve-racking test screenings for his film “Zoolander.” They also break apart Ben’s genre-bending hit series “Severance” on Apple TV plus. Ben aces the slow round with stories about growing up the child of two comedy greats, not making the high school basketball team, and the magical feeling of being backstage at “The $10,000 Pyramid.”Please consider donating to the UN Refugee

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00:37:20

73. Michael J. Fox: When Your Hero Comes on Your Podcast

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/05/30

This week Mike welcomes one of his all time heroes, Michael J. Fox. Not only is Michael a five time Emmy award winning actor who has starred in ‘Family Ties’ and ‘Back to The Future,’ but his foundation has raised over 1 billion dollars to help fund Parkinson’s research programs. This week Mike and Michael work out material about not getting the Hugh Jackman treatment at the airport and Michael offers profound wisdom like: “You have to accept the truth of the situation before you address it.”For a

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00:56:55

72. Drew Barrymore: Do What You Love

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/05/16

Mike’s first-ever major movie role was in Going the Distance, starring Drew Barrymore. Now, 12 years later, Drew takes Mike through her journey from starring in E.T., to hosting SNL at age 7, to producing and starring in some of the most iconic films of the last 30 years. Drew breaks down her approach to comedy, and discusses how hosting her own talk show has allowed her to reclaim the narrative of her own life. Plus, jokes about New York City breakups, and what to do when your soul can’t catch up

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00:52:24

71. Alex Edelman Returns: The 25 Word Pitch

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/05/02

Mike welcomes back Alex Edelman. Since his last appearance on the podcast, Alex has opened his solo show “Just For Us,” received rave reviews, appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and has been nominated for an outer critics circle award. He just announced a 3rd extension of his show at the Greenwich House Theater in New York City beginning June 13. The two friends discuss how two pitch your own work in 25 words as well as as horrible nicknames, accidentally reading other people’s texts,

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01:03:16

70. Judd Apatow Returns (Again): He Has Fettuccine in...

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/04/18

Judd Apatow returns for a record third appearance in support of his latest New York Times-bestselling book Sicker in the Head. He turns the tables and puts Mike in the hot seat for an interview tracing Mike's journey from "funniest person on campus" in college, to doorman at the DC Improv, and beyond. The two friends reminisce about about being paid in fettuccine, and co-workers embezzling money from comedy clubs. Plus, questions from a special livestream audience about self-esteem and Judd's

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00:59:01

69. Atsuko Okatsuka Returns: How to Become Yourself

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/04/04

When Atsuko was first on the Working It Out podcast, Mike only knew her from her viral Instagram videos and some of her stand-up. Since then, Mike and Atsuko toured together and their "pandemic friendship" became a real friendship. Now Atsuko returns, in person, to discuss what it's like to develop her new hour of comedy, and why it takes 10 years to become yourself on stage. Plus, stories and jokes about taking your mom and grandma to a "bottomless" show in Las Vegas, and what Mike has in store for

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00:51:20

68. Taylor Tomlinson Returns: She's Not Like Us

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/03/21

The last time Taylor Tomlinson was on "Working it Out," she had just released her first Netflix comedy special Quarter-Life Crisis. Now, Taylor returns on the heels of her latest special Look At You. Mike and Taylor discuss why Look At You is even more vulnerable than Quarter-Life Crisis, and how many years it takes it become yourself on stage. Plus, they work out new jokes about Mike’s irrational goal to seem “cool” to his parents, why Taylor thinks only pregnant women should take selfies, and what

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01:07:30

67. Lynn Shawcroft: How Mitch Hedberg Wrote Jokes

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/03/07

Last summer, Mike revistied to the classic comedy album "Strategic Grill Locations" by his friend, the late great Mitch Hedberg. The listening experience was so transcendsnt that it inspired Mike to call Mitch's wife Lynn Shawcroft and ask if she would be open to coming on the podcast and discussing Mitch's joke writing process. The two old friends discuss daydreaming, free associating, and how sometimes jokes that feel like one-liners are actually stories unto themselves. Plus, they share stories

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00:47:52

66. David Cross: Fully Committed Dad

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/02/21

This week Mike welcomes David Cross, who is a legend in comedy and also makes cameos in Mike’s dreams. The two comics discuss the origins of Mr. Show, why Tobias from Arrested Development is so different from David himself, and how sometimes it’s hard to be an optimistic dad when the reality in front of you doesn’t feel so optimistic. Plus Mike and David tell each of their sides of the story of the most awkward moment ever between Mike, Mike’s mom, and an entire live audience. Please consider

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00:51:06

65. Jon Laster Returns: Playing Legacy Ball

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/02/07

When Jon Laster was last on the podcast in the summer of 2020, Mike and Jon talked race relations in America and the relationship between tragedy and comedy. Now Jon returns to discuss his thoughts on what has changed, what has stayed the same, and how his frustration led him to create an app called Blapp, which helps support black-owned businesses. Plus, stories and jokes about Jon’s mother showing up to watch Jon play basketball on a team he wasn’t on, finding a better word for

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00:56:07

64. Mo Amer: The Creative Savings Account

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/01/24

Mo Amer started doing stand-up when he was 14, and now he's being introduced by The Rock in his latest Netflix special, Mohammed in Texas. Mike talks with Mo about that journey, growing up Palestinian in Houston and later performing in college lunchrooms. They discuss why immigrants love Nescafe, the lengths to which Mo will go to get access to a bidet, and why it's important for writers to store ideas in a "creative savings account." Please consider donating to:

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00:56:39

63. Sarah Millican: Put The Email Address In Last

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2022/01/10

What started as a poem by Sarah Millican about a bad divorce sprouted into one of the most popular comedy careers in England in the last 20 years. Mike and Sarah discuss how hitting rock bottom can lead you to the top and what happened when Sarah’s childhood bully sent her a long letter as an adult. Plus, new bits about Sarah’s husband who may or may not be a robot, Mike’s dad’s excessive use of speakerphone, and that time Sarah got too comfortable with a sharp object. Please consider donating to:

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00:54:02

62. Hannah Einbinder: The Joke’s on You For Loving a...

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2021/12/27

Hannah Einbinder received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her breakout performance in HBO’s “Hacks.” Today Hannah and Mike discuss what it means to be yourself in auditions, risking rejection in front of audiences, and the miracle that is crowd work. They kick around new jokes about the time Mike’s Apple Watch called the police and what it means to say I love you from the other room. All that, and some deep thoughts on deep sea fish. Please consider donating to: The Trevor Project

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01:04:29

61. John Green: The Fault in Our Birbiglias

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2021/12/13

In addition to his new hit book “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” John Green has written several novels that have debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list including “The Fault in Our Stars” which was adapted into an indie blockbuster with Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and featuring Mike in the role of Patrick the youth pastor. Mike and John recount meeting each other on the set of the movie and in the slow round John recalls getting a banana smushed in his face in 4th grade. John helps Mike

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00:57:40

60. Rosebud Baker: Addicted to Comedy

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2021/11/29

Rosebud Baker can make anything funny. She has jokes about the tragic death of her sister, her own struggles with addiction, and why nurses seem to be a little too cocky. Mike and Rose kick around jokes about what to do when your Uber is filling up with water, how much urine is in a public pool, and why some of us marry our dads. All that, and a story about toasting a U.S. president when she was a kid. https://www.safehorizon.org/

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00:50:28

59. Alex Edelman: A Jewish Person Walks Into a...

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2021/11/15

In December Mike presents Alex’s Edelman’s solo show, "Just for Us" off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre. It's an award-winning comedy in which Alex (who is Jewish) tells the story of being accidentally invited to a gathering of white nationalists & then what happened when he…showed up. Mike & Alex crack open that story as well as working out jokes about rollerblading into museums, why Socrates had a hard time at parties, & how texting the tooth fairy can backfire.

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00:58:11

58. Jimmy Carr: Life Is Better With Laughter

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2021/11/01

Legendary British comedian Jimmy Carr begins his conversation with Mike by saying, “I wrote a book in lock-down because it was that or a podcast and I figured a book would be more dignified.” This begins an hour-long chat between friends that jumps from jokes to roasts to a genuine and vulnerable discussion of how laughter has the power to heal us. https://www.smcyouthwork.org/

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01:12:43

57. Stephen Colbert: Laughter As An Act Of Love

Mike Birbiglia"s Working It Out ·

2021/10/18

Fresh off his Emmy win (with stage companion Conan O’Brien) Stephen Colbert joins Mike for a discussion of comedy, anxiety, and why he’ll never run for Senate. He explains that the reason he loves improv is that there’s nothing like failing with someone else and laughing about it with your scene partner, and he explains why Bill O’Reilly was never his scene partner. https://somosamigos.org/

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258 results

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