For the final episode of WTF, Marc travels to Washington, DC for another conversation with the most significant guest in the show’s history. Former President Barack Obama welcomes Marc into his office to speak about the legacy of the podcast, the need for human connection, and the reason for optimism in the face of challenging times. Also, President Obama grants Marc’s specific request to help bring some closure to the past sixteen years of WTF. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Only one episode of WTF remains after this one and it will not be recorded in the garage. So with this being the final WTF episode taking place in Marc’s sacred space, it’s only appropriate that he close things out himself, directly addressing everyone who’s been on this ride with him for the past sixteen years. This show started with Marc on a microphone, first in a radio studio, then at the Cat Ranch in Highland Park, as well as many remote locations all over the world, before winding up in this garage where Marc turns that microphone on one last time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Matt Groening discovered the things that helped shape his artistic sensibility when he was 12 years old: psychedelia, the Grateful Dead, Catch-22, and of course cartooning. Matt explains to Marc how the road to creating The Simpsons started in Portland, Oregon and had stops in New York City, Los Angeles, the Licorice Pizza record store, the LA Reader and the office of James L. Brooks. They also talk about The Simpsons becoming a breeding ground for comedy writing talent and Matt reveals, for the first time, who was the real inspiration for Homer Simpson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Despite having close relationships with innumerable people in the entertainment industry, Mark Flanagan is aware that a lot of people don’t know much about him, even his first name. They just know him as Flanagan, owner and programmer of the LA nightclub Largo. Flanny talks with Marc about his family’s escape from Northern Ireland during The Troubles and his obsession with music that brought him to Largo in the early ‘90s, eventually owning the club where he could showcase the people he most admired in music and comedy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Judd Apatow was an early fan of WTF and a perennial supporter of the show throughout its run. So when he asked Marc if he could be a guest one more time for an episode where he plays his favorite moments, of course the answer was yes. And because Marc’s general practice is to never listen to the episodes, he is hearing most of these clips for the first time and reacting to them accordingly. It’s a unique look at the history of the show, curated by a self-described “comedy nerd” and longtime WTFer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When WTF started in 2009, Never Not Funny was already there. Jimmy Pardo has been in the podcast game for almost 20 years and was a direct inspiration for Marc back when he wanted to start one of his own. Jimmy and Marc talk about being there in the early days of the medium, how they each learned how to make podcasting work as a business, why Jimmy held onto some bitterness through the years, and how they’ve each come to let go of the things that used to bother them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Whether Christopher Guest is creating characters, writing scripted comedy or doing long form improv, it’s all music to him. Christopher talks with Marc about his musical background, jazz clubs, the British comedy revue Beyond the Fringe, the National Lampoon, Lily Tomlin and other building blocks that paved the way for his work on This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and more. They also talk about Christopher’s longtime collaborations with Michael McKean and Eugene Levy, as well as his daily routine involving guitars, newspapers and fly fishing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tracy Letts and Marc have remained friends since meeting each other when Tracy was first on the show in 2018. Now, with Marc wrapping up the podcast, Tracy returns to the garage for a talk about the importance of art, self-expression, and taking inspiration where you can get it. Tracy also investigates Marc’s reasoning for ending the show and he recounts his experience being back home in Oklahoma while making Sterlin Harjo’s new show, The Lowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jamie Lee Curtis has a career in show business spanning nearly 50 years, but she’s currently having the most creatively fulfilling time of her life. Not only is she just a few years removed from winning an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once and then an Emmy for The Bear, she’s also putting her energy into production and development, whether it’s Freakier Friday or the upcoming Patricia Cornwell crime drama Scarpetta or the new film The Lost Bus. Jamie Lee and Marc talk about her very hazy memories of youth, her sobriety, her dislike of rehearsals, and the reason she never reads the comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tom Scharpling is celebrating the 25th year of his beloved comedy playground, The Best Show, which was one of the foundational inspirations for WTF back when it launched in 2009. Since then, Tom became a fan of WTF, a frequent guest, and a personal friend of Marc’s. Tom and Marc meet up for one final garage chat, reflecting on their respective achievements and looking toward the future of podcasting, as well as their places in it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mark Hamill gets that you probably know more about Star Wars than he does and he’s ok with that. In fact, he’s so ok with where he’s at in his career, he’s really not worried about what comes next. Mark talks with Marc about his early days on soap operas, the faith he had in Star Wars being a big hit while they were making it, the casting troubles he came up against in Hollywood that made him seek work on Broadway, and the voiceover acting that changed his career. They also talk about his connection to Late Night with David Letterman and his recent work in two Stephen King adaptations, The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Some of Spike Lee’s most indelible hallmarks, including a story set in New York City, a morality struggle, and a lead performance by Denzel Washington, are on display in his new film Highest 2 Lowest. Spike and Marc talk about this latest undertaking, as well as Spike’s affinity for being a teacher, his documentary work, Marc’s love of Bamboozled, the ever-evolving nature of New York, and of course Spike’s famous double dolly shots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Despite his two previous appearances on WTF, Tim Heidecker was not someone Marc felt truly comfortable around. In fact, Marc was intimidated by Tim. But as they’ve gotten older and connected over common interests, both Tim and Marc can now fully enjoy each other’s company. Meeting in the garage one more time, they talk about their shared pursuit of playing more live music on stage, their insecurities that crop up when making movies, and their lamentations about the regression of comedy and why they are compelled to take swings at the culprits of this reactionary culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Regina King’s depth and range as an actor won her dozens of awards and allows her to choose projects best suited for her. Regina and Marc talk about her early sitcom days on 227, her breakthrough performances in films like Boyz n the Hood and Jerry Maguire, her acclaimed turns in If Beale Street Could Talk and Shirley, her work as a director, and her latest role in Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing. Regina also explains why she launched a brand of wine to honor her son. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jeremy Allen White played such a believable Bruce Springsteen in the movie Deliver Me From Nowhere that Marc, who was also in the film, can recall times on the set when Bruce couldn’t tell the difference between recordings of himself and recordings of Jeremy. But for Jeremy, that’s all part of the process of finding his focus, something he’s tried to do since he was a kid taking dance classes and playing sports. Jeremy and Marc also talk about Shameless, The Bear, The Iron Claw, panic attacks, and getting your life under control.Click here to submit a question for an upcoming Ask Marc Anything episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In a world of influencers and content creators, Peter Conheim represents an age of culture jamming and social disruption. Influenced by bands like Can and art collectives like The Residents, Peter talks with Marc about embracing the idea of doing art anonymously, which included his time with the experimental band Negativland. Peter also explains his fascination with audio production and editing, his passion for film curation and remastering, and his work on the new Devo documentary.Click here to submit a question for an upcoming Ask Marc Anything episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The last time Ben Stiller was on WTF, it was more than 15 years ago and it was a really big deal for an upstart podcast done out of a small garage to have a global movie star and film director as a guest. Now Ben and Marc reflect on the passage of time, Ben's choices of projects since 2010, and the responsibility he feels as one of the people at the helm of Severance. They also talk about Owen Wilson, Ben's latest Oscar bit, the state of comedy movies, and the documentary Ben is making about his parents.Click here to submit a question for an upcoming Ask Marc Anything episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After recently releasing her memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You, and finishing her eighth studio album, the upcoming Neon Grey Midnight Green, Neko Case is drawing a lot of conclusions. She tells Marc that animals and nature are more consistent and reliable than people, that she’s at peace with knowing her parents didn’t want her, and that she’s more comfortable choosing her own family. Neko and Marc also talk about her songwriting process, her pro wrestler great-aunt, and The New Pornographers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bowen Yang never thinks he’s ready for any of the opportunities he gets, including being a guest on WTF for this episode. After a discussion on who gets more nervous before interviews, Marc or the guest, Bowen explains where this lifelong anxiety and insecurity comes from, and a lot of it is rooted in the gay conversion therapy he had to undergo as a teen. They also talk about the vibe of Saturday Night Live during this second Trump administration and the pressures that come with being the gay Asian SNL cast member. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Multi-time WTF guest and veteran of standup comedy specials Jim Gaffigan is the perfect person to talk with Marc right after a screening of Marc’s new HBO special, Marc Maron: Panicked. They examine the work that goes into the building of a standup special, how they both evolved as live performers since their early days, and the uncertain future of the live comedy special. This conversation was recorded at The 92nd Street Y, New York, as part of their Craig Newmark Civic Life Series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Questlove was drumming for his dad’s band by the time he was 12. Since then, he founded a prolific hip-hop band with his high school classmate, became a chronicler of popular music history, came into his own as a documentary filmmaker, and more. So why does he still feel insecure about being an artist? Questlove talks with Marc about the origins of The Roots, the decision to become a late night house band, winning an Oscar right after the infamous slap, and why he had an underlying motivation for making his recent documentary about Sly Stone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To an outsider, it seems like quite a leap to go from Nora Lum, classical and jazz trumpet player from Queens, to Awkwafina, rapper, comedian and global movie star. But for Nora, it all feels like a direct extension of the life lived by an artist mother she hardly knew. She talks with Marc about rebuilding the memories of her mom, who died when Nora was only four years old. They also compare notes on Queens apartment living, their mutual aversion to joy, and their feelings about being part of an animated film franchise, as they’re both in the midst of a press tour for The Bad Guys 2. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As one of the members of the last generation who grew up without the internet, Ari Aster’s movies all deal with the ways our minds are shaped and influenced by forces outside of ourselves. Ari talks with Marc about how he uses the genre trappings of horror, farcical comedy and the American Western to explore themes of trauma, nostalgia, anxiety and humanity in his films Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau is Afraid and his latest one, Eddington. They also talk about his poet mom, his jazz drummer dad, and why Albert Brooks is one of his biggest influences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s about time Jackson Galaxy and Marc met each other. Listeners have recommended Jackson to Marc as a cat behavior expert who can offer helpful advice about Marc’s ongoing cat problems. But it turns out they have a lot more in common than just cats: Youthful rock and roll aspirations, addictive personalities, sober living, and an interest in animal welfare. Jackson tells Marc how he found a new direction in his life that turned him into a cat expert and Marc gets some tips on how to deal with his cat’s aggressive behavior. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For anyone who knew Sarah Sherman’s act before she got hired for Saturday Night Live, her new gig might have come as a surprise. Rooted in the Chicago DIY scene, she performed as Sarah Squirm, with a unique ability to make her audiences do just that. But Sarah tells Marc that despite all the meat and viscera in her act, she was always a straight-up comedy person at heart, growing up on Long Island with an affinity for Fran Drescher and a love of Three Amigos. They talk about her show Helltrap Nightmare, how Eric Andre changed her life, and how she adjusted to SNL. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jena Friedman shares a lot of Marc’s concerns about doing politically relevant comedy during historically scary times. She felt the risk of it first-hand during a recent border crossing from Canada. Jena talks with Marc about how her comedy always stemmed from an activist impulse, how this benefitted her when she became a field producer for The Daily Show, and how that experience was invaluable when she was hired to work on Borat 2, for which she received an Oscar nomination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Leanne Morgan was a late bloomer in comedy but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t in her heart for a long time. Despite a life in Tennessee filled with tobacco farms and door-to-door jewelry sales, a trip to The Comedy Store in the early ‘90s left Leanne with no doubt as to what she wanted to do with her life. Leanne talks with Marc about her several false starts in show business and how she was worried she would have to give up the comedy dream until social media and Netflix changed everything for her. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dustin Chafin's path to comedy went from a Texas trailer park to a Mormon conversion before winding up in New York where he almost met a tragic end. That's also where he met Marc and a young Nate Bargatze, who got his first stage time thanks to Dustin, a break that Nate did not forget. Dustin and Marc catch up on each other's lives after a nearly 20 year gap. Plus, Marc talks with AEW's Darby Allin who just got back from the tippy top of the world, having climbed Mount Everest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alexander Skarsgård decided acting wasn't for him at age 13 and he went in a completely different direction with his life. But after time in the Swedish Navy and a false start at university in England, he couldn't fight the pull of acting. Alexander talks with Marc about his career-making roles in Generation Kill and True Blood, the difficulty of making The Northman, the ease of making Big Little Lies, and why he loves doing offbeat comedy, whether it's something goofy like Zoolander, pitch black like Succession, or sci-fi satire like his new series Murderbot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chad Kassem was a Louisiana kid running afoul of the law, caught in a spiral of substance abuse and arrests. Thankfully, as he puts it, music is a hell of a natural drug. In his 20s, Chad became obsessed with audio and his new mission was to save the world from bad sounding records. Chad talks with Marc about how he started Acoustic Sounds, which serves as a mastering lab, a pressing plant, a record label and more, all in pursuit of making records that sound better than the originals. Chad explains his uncompromising process that turned his Kansas operation into one of the biggest players in the vinyl record business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
