WTF with Marc Maron (podcast)

[beccaBeccaBECCA]

WTF with Marc Maron is on the new Entertainment Weekly's "Must List"

Damn straight! The description is a bit misleading, though: "The acclaimed stand-up is a master of the conversational funny whether he's complaining about ill-fitting jeans or welcoming fellow comics like Dane Cook for earnest, freewheeling chats."

If people read that and think - Yea! That's exactly what I'm into! - they'll probably be in for a surprise when they tune in to WTF. It's still great press.

Reminds me of the Direct TV DVR description of PFT's You Should Have Told Me: "The comic discusses the pros and cons of neighbors."

That'll do, description writers. That'll do.

[Berliner]

I guess whoever wrote that blurb only listened to a few minutes and skipped around?

[shig]

Damn straight! The description is a bit misleading, though: "The acclaimed stand-up is a master of the conversational funny whether he's complaining about ill-fitting jeans or welcoming fellow comics like Dane Cook for earnest, freewheeling chats."

If people read that and think - Yea! That's exactly what I'm into! - they'll probably be in for a surprise when they tune in to WTF. It's still great press.

Reminds me of the Direct TV DVR description of PFT's You Should Have Told Me: "The comic discusses the pros and cons of neighbors."

That'll do, description writers. That'll do.

The description (if it even is really a description) is awful. I'm somewhat offended, and I don't think it even makes sense to be offended when it's not my show. But they sum up the show with mention of Dane Cook and pants!

As for Direct TVs description of PFT's special, that's hilarious. I think my favorite "inbfo" on a show is Comcast's info on Aqua Teens: "fast food items solve crimes."

[SoSure]

I think Maron and Birbiglia are on the right track regarding the economy being a part of the reason for the large number of people attempting stand-up.

The thought that there aren't really any safe careers anymore, and the near-guarantee of failure while trying to navigate those careers, was a motivator for me trying stand-up out. Every career now requires a ton of effort to keep your job, and if my future is just going to be working extremely hard to achieve goals in a field I don't give a shit about and view as a merely tolerable life, I figure why not work extremely hard on something I can be proud of, have a passion for and enjoy?

I made a compromise with myself a long time ago and aimed for less than what I had dreamed of, and now that the risk of the compromise is catching up with the risk of the dream, there's no trade off. It seems silly to not do something you enjoy, because the alternative is just as stressful but less rewarding.

[BobDope]

I just hope the Federal Reserve doesn't artificially inflate a comedy bubble.

[Wheathead]

I wasn't expecting anything from the Patrice Oneal episode. I used to listen to Opie and Anthony on my drive to work (before the dawn of podcasts) and it would just be sort of generic locker room talk. The things covered in this interview and the way they were covered could easily make an amazing one-man show. The prison story, the friend with the fur coat, that seemed like just an aside but what a sad and original story. Hitler's moustache, the rollercoaster, I don't know how much was from his act, but I was surprised how funny and compelling he was.

[ericluxury]

The Patrice episode was great. I figured it would be after what Brendan Burns (i think it was him or it was Jim Jeffries, it was an alliterative Aussie who lives in England) said about him and O&A. I listened to the whole version of the Patrice O'neal jail story on youtube (it was told on O&A). I get the sense that O&A is something I'd enjoy 5% of the time.

I am really excited about the Stewart Lee episode. I discovered him on this website and I've listened to all 3 of his CD's and they are all excellent. To me he is on par with Birbiglia and Tompkins as the best storytelling comedians. It's shame he doesn't come to America more.

[Tairy Greene]

The Patrice interview is another high point for WTF. The rollercoaster bit is genius, hilarious and also genuinely melancholy in a way few comedic observations are. I'll have to seek out the longer telling of the jail story on O&A. I find they're a guest-only show for me - if Marc or Louis CK are on, I'll tune in and have a great time doing so, but otherwise the grossout humor and (only somewhat ironic) race-baiting stuff can be a bit much.

[Wheathead]

Just to add: I listened to O&A for a year straight, so I obviously found a lot of laugh out loud funny in addition to the rougher stuff.

[Merdie]

In the Patrice Episode, the first part about women made my head explode, but it was still funny and I really loved the whole thing.

[Tairy Greene]

Catching up on back episodes, I just noticed something weird: Chazz Palminteri / A Bronx Tale was referenced in back to back episodes, Patrice Oneal and Mike Birbiglia.

[Barrabus]

When he said he "used to be" a misogynist, I almost did a spit-take. Did he keep them in chains before?

[sharilyn]

When he said he "used to be" a misogynist, I almost did a spit-take. Did he keep them in chains before?

Lol, this.

If he took all that energy he puts into justifying his misogyny and put it into something more productive, he might have that bigger fanbase he was pining for at the top.

[bloop]

I actually really enjoyed the first part of the Patrice episode. Certainly, some or many of his opinions were misogynistic. But many of the things he was saying rang vaguely true, on a topic that 99% of media members would be horrified to touch. It's rare that an even mildly famous person would dare to talk about these ideas-- not that I agree with all of them, but it's interesting and refreshing to hear them talked about.

[kelisgold]

I actually really enjoyed the first part of the Patrice episode. Certainly, some or many of his opinions were misogynistic. But many of the things he was saying rang vaguely true, on a topic that 99% of media members would be horrified to touch. It's rare that an even mildly famous person would dare to talk about these ideas-- not that I agree with all of them, but it's interesting and refreshing to hear them talked about.

Here here. It was definitely refreshing to hear someone not give a sh*t about being PC and just be raw and real. I doubt I'll listen to the episode again, but I'm glad it's out there. A bonus treat was listening to the usually aggressive, pessimistic Marc be the more level-headed and dare I say, passive, of the two. Okay maybe not passive but you know what I mean.

'Trice's line about the girl in the trash can had me crying-laughing! True and hilarious.

I wrote a joke I think he'd kill. Is there somewhere on this thing people can post jokes? (sorry, I'm new)

[mike_b]

Up at the top of this forum, click on Stage Time. There's a place to post jokes there.

[kelisgold]

Thanks!

[stephenhicks]

Goddamn, Marc never ceases to amaze me how he gets my favorite comedians on his podcast.
I would love to see a more Patton Oswalt in the garage instead of on the phone.
Also Mike Destefano and Daniel Tosh would be lovely, other than that, I can't think of anyone else at the moment.

[mike_b]

I really want to see David Yow on the show, even though he's not a comedian. They could trade dad stories.

[smartbunny]

Dana Gould is a treasure. Wearing banana bread? Holy shit.

Did he ever mention the Selma adoption storyline on The Simpsons being a direct reference to his own life?