WTF With Marc Maron: The Art of Comedy

Podcasts can be a difficult medium to get into. Unlike turning on a radio or a TV and instantly being entertained, subscribing to a podcast requires a bit of legwork. Sure you can go to the show's website and listen instantly on your computer. But most people don't have an hour or more to spare at one sitting, which is why they have to subscribe to the show on iTunes, load up episodes on their iPods, and then listen off an on during the day whenever they snatch a free moment. And if you're like me, you end up with about 30 episodes on your computer before you even look at the Podcasts tab on iTunes and realize there are all these shows awaiting your attention. As a result, you have to be certain about a podcast before you make a significant commitment to this hassle. And WTF with Marc Maron is well worth the hassle.

WTF is an hour-long podcast hosted by stand-up comedian Marc Maron. Each episode consists of Maron interviewing a celebrity guest, usually a comedian, and getting into the nitty-gritty details of their lives to date. If there's something dark and twisty to be found, Maron will find it. Episodes are released twice a week and the 300th episode was released a few weeks ago. So it's doing pretty well for a podcast. And after one listen, you'll understand why. My introduction to the show was Episode 163 in April of last year, which featured an hour-long interview with Conan O'Brien. As a longtime Conan fan, I couldn't help being intrigued, and the interview did not disappoint. It was smart, informative, and funny as hell. And if Conan never writes an autobiography, this podcast would serve as an adequate replacement for any memoir.

I honestly don't know how Marc Maron does it and I don't think he does himself. There's just something about two comedians talking to each other about the craft of comedy that seems to open up possibilities for both serious and humorous introspection. Being a stand-up comedian means exposing yourself to ridicule and judgement every time you go on stage and sharing humiliating life stories for the sake of a laugh. As a result, most of Maron's guests are willing to discuss any and all aspects of their lives. A lot of comedians have surprisingly dark pasts and being funny is their outlet, so this allows for many engaging and deep discussions both about the nature of comedy and the nature of life itself.

I'll admit that I mainly listen to the episodes that feature celebrities I like, e.g. anyone from the cast of Parks & Recreation or Craig Ferguson. I've read Ferguson's autobiography, yet it was amazing how Maron managed to get him to talk about his entire life in one hour so that you could probably just skip reading his book (if you are so inclined). This past January, comedian Todd Glass chose WTF as the forum on which to come out publicly, which made for a very moving episode. The Mindy Kaling episode wasn't dark at all, but was still a great way to learn about her comic sensibilities and journey to The Office. And as I make my way through the backlog of episodes on my computer, I still have interviews with Bill Maher, Diablo Cody, Jon Hamm, and Stephen Merchant to look forward to.

Somewhere in the archive of 300-plus episodes, you are certain to find an interview with a comedian or actor that you love and you'll learn something intriguing and entertaining about their lives and their work. So head to the WTF website and start browsing. There's a whole world of comedy for you to explore.