I was introduced to Marc Maron when I was young. I remember watching his Comedy Central Presents, and he had this joke about if the cops ever staked out his house they wouldn’t have much to talk about, that he’d masturbated two times before getting out of bed. I didn’t hear or see anything else from him until several years later (as was the case for a lot of people, based on Maron’s own accounts of being a struggling comic) when my friends and I went to see him in Cleveland, and I discovered his podcast, WTF with Marc Maron.
After the show I downloaded every episode of WTF I could. As an aspiring comedy writer who drove a print shop delivery truck for a living, listening to episode after episode of Maron interviewing the comedians and writers I loved (Onion writers, stand-ups, TV writers) about personal details of their lives became the soundtrack to my day job. Sure, Maron has personal issues and resentments, but he has an uncanny ability to ask questions in a way that allows people to be very open about personal topics. Here we take a look at the times Maron got the most deep with his guests.
Sam Simon — Episode 389
Topics include: Living with terminal cancer, animals rights, co-creating The Simpsons.
Lynn Shawcroft — Episode 369
*Not the full episode. I suggest purchasing it here.
Topics include: Mitch Hedberg (RIP her late husband, and the greatest comedian ever) and drug addiction.
Patrice O’Neal — Episode 95
Topics include: Rape convictions, prison life, and life without a father.
Todd Hanson — Episode 190
Topics include: Depression, a suicide attempt, and the recovery afterwards.
Todd Glass Part 1 & 2 — Episode 245
Topics include: Coming out of the closet in response to a number of gay youths committing suicide over related issues.
Artie Lange– Episode 458
Topics include: Blaming himself for his dad’s death, his relationship with Howard Stern, heroin addiction, a suicide attempt, and recovery.
Louis C.K. Part 1 & 2 — Episode 111 & 112
Topics include: A failing friendship, resentment, Louis getting into a motorcycle accident.
Robin Williams– Episode 67
Topics include: Depression, divorce, sobriety. RIP Robin Williams.