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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.
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It's a book club, but funny! Comedian Michael Ian Black is tackling a great work of literature: Wuthering Heights. Join Michael's weekly book club as he reads aloud from a classic and asks people like Jen Kirkman, Mike Birbiglia, Michael Showalter, and even his teenage kids to weigh in with their perspectives. Season 1: Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. The book is bleak, but Michael does a lot of accent work. Season 2: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's alive, and it's just a big buddy. Also, ...
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This week the legendary Ahmir Thompson (aka Questlove) sits down for his first appearance on Working It Out. Mike and Questlove discuss touring with his father’s band as a kid, every DJ’s worst nightmare, and how jealousy and self-sabotage can affect even a member of a band as iconic as The Roots. Plus, what it was like accepting an Oscar after The…
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S4 Episode 84 - A Dark Cloud Which Shadowed This Other
32:48
32:48
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A sleepy host, a pregnant Bob, and a potential lover who, in the mind of your host, looks like a comic book character. Clyde and Roberta remain in their pregnancy pickle while Sondra Finchley, in the shadows, seeks out young Master Griffiths. All is both well and deeply unwell on the dark streets of Lycurgus, New York. Support Obscure! Read Michael…
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S4 Episode 83 - On Celebrating and Not Celebrating
33:57
33:57
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The episode begins with a reflection on St. Patrick's Day in Savannah, which - your host is told - is the nation's 3rd largest St. Patty's Day celebration. So while revelers drink themselves into a stupor down south, up north in Lycurgus, NY, our friends Clyde and Roberta struggle with the continually growing problem of Bob's pregnancy. But now, wi…
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165: Rachel Feinstein Returns: Everything She Says Could Be a Bit
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Rachel Feinstein recently appeared as a surprise guest on one of Mike’s shows at the Beacon Theatre, where Mike observed after the show that everything Rachel said in the green room could be a bit. Now, on the heels of her Netflix special Big Guy, and in her third appearance on Working It Out, Rachel spills all the details about living with other c…
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When you think about it, isn't all art about horny young people? Sure it is. And where does it all lead? No place good. Which is how you end up with a couple poor saps out there in Lycurgus, NY trying to extract themselves from a situation in which they placed themselves by virtue of their own damned horniness. And that's where we pick up this week…
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This week Andrew Schulz comes on the podcast and Mike and Andrew break apart why the two of them are unlikely work friends. They discuss Andrew having Donald Trump on his podcast, Andrew’s new deeply personal Netflix special, “Life,” and the politics of free speech in comedy. Plus, Andrew reveals the guest he regrets having on his podcast, “Flagran…
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As your host's moderate smartness is slowly replaced with moderate dumbness, he contemplates the obvious etymology of a certain, common phrase in the English language as well as expresses some antipathy for the toaster. As for Clyde and Roberta, their best-laid plans also appear to be toast. What shall become of these two star (and Sondra) crossed …
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163. Josh Johnson: Reinventing the Modern Comedy Special
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Comedian Josh Johnson is a writer and correspondent for The Daily Show and his stand-up sets have millions of views on YouTube. Josh talks with Mike about cultivating a fan base via the YouTube videos, why he thinks chasing success in the comedy industry is sometimes antithetical to the art form, and shares the advice he got from Trevor Noah. Plus,…
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S4 Episode 80 - How Do You Like Dem Apples?
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Recounting two apple-themed cities in my travels this episode. You might even learn some trivia about one of our foremost planters of apple trees. New York state, too, home of Lycurgus, is also an apple-growing state. In fact, according to the New York Apple Association (real), NY grows more apple varieties than any other state! Support Obscure! Re…
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BEST OF WIO: Mike Reads a New Piece of Writing, Plus Elizabeth Gilbert Re-Air
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At the top of this Best of WIO episode featuring Elizabeth Gilbert, Mike reads a new piece that he wrote for Elizabeth's Letters From Love Substack. (Recorded November 2024) Author Elizabeth Gilbert wrote one of Mike’s favorite books about creativity, Big Magic. She also wrote a book that, to her surprise, become a cultural phenomenon: Eat, Pray, L…
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Timely as always, your host contemplates the difference between two war movies, neither of which came out in the last 10 years. Plus, some culinary conversation AND our protagonist/antagonist Clyde Griffiths might have a bead on an abortionist. Support Obscure! Read Michael's substack Follow Michael on Twitter Follow Michael on Instagram See Privac…
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Q&A: Mike Answers Voicemails About Comedy Advice and Crying Babies at Shows
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For this all-new Working It Out Q&A, Mike fields listener questions about people fainting at his shows, how to write comedy about topics that are painful to you, and balancing a day job and creative life when starting out. If your question didn’t get answered on this week’s Q&A, stay tuned for another one soon where Mike answers the rest! Got a new…
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Now ensconced back on American soil, your mansplainer-in-chief processes his return to his native land as he contemplates ice cream sandwiches, the troubled political landscape, and the fortunes of a certain young creep named Clyde who would have voted Trump. Support Obscure! Read Michael's substack Follow Michael on Twitter Follow Michael on Insta…
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162. Pete Holmes Returns: Comedy That’s Clean, Dirty, or PG-13
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Pete Holmes returns to help Mike punch up some last minute jokes before the premiere of Mike’s show The Good Life at the Beacon Theatre in New York. What follows is a heated debate about puns, an attempt to define and dissect the nature of “clean” comedy, and, yes, a nuts and bolts joke writing session. Plus, Pete psychoanalyzes the state of Massac…
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The audio, as promised, is terrible again. And yes, it's entirely my fault. Good audio resumes next episode. As for this episode, you know, it's just more problems. Roberta's knocked-up and Clyde is doing his level best to make everything worse. Will he continue to succeed? I think you can all guess the answer. Support Obscure! Read Michael's subst…
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161. Nathan Lane Returns: The Safest Thing You Can Do Is Take a Risk
1:07:47
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This week, the great Nathan Lane returns to Working it Out. Nathan recounts moments from his legendary career — discussing what it was like to work with Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Robin Williams. He shares what he likes most in a director, who he’s jealous of, and what he remembers of twenty-something year old Mike. Plus, an incredible story abo…
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The sound is bad this week, and it's your host's fault. A further warning: the sound will be next week as well, but after that - SMOOTH SAILING!!! So I apologize for the annoyance and assume it will further erode my subscriber base. The only question remaining: which will last longer - the subscribers or the book? Hard to say, but the goal of Obscu…
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Your host reports today from the fabulous French city of Toulouse, where the second leg of his grand Tour de France continues. Over in the decidedly less glamorous city of Lycurgus, Roberta breaks the bad news to Clyde. How will he react? What will do? Will these star-crossed lovers patch things up and make good? Not bloody likely. Support Obscure!…
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160. Rory Scovel Returns: How To Do 600 Minutes of Improvised Standup
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This week Rory Scovel returns to the podcast with his review of how doing a year of completely improvised stand-up went. Mike and Rory dive into the creative process and their own fears on stage, why Rory is jealous of other comedians, and why someone being married to a comedian is hard because every day that comedian has a “presentation at work.” …
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The nascent jazz age is upon Roberta Alden and the "blues," as we commonly know it today, was probably a word just coming into the vernacular. Even so, Roberta is suffering from this new malady as Clyde continues to let her down. Speaking of jazz... you know who loves this unique American art form? The FRENCH! This episode recorded in Bordeaux, Fra…
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159. Hasan Minhaj Returns: Off with His Head, On with His Jokes
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50:37
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Working It Out fan favorite Hasan Minhaj returns for a third episode. Mike and Hasan discuss the enduring memories of childhood crushes, an obsession with who was the fastest in elementary school, and why comedy and politics move in cycles. Plus, Hasan keeps Google Image searching Mike, and Mike invites himself along on a hangout with Hasan’s high …
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Recounting New Year's Eve and a heated argument with a cop. Clyde, too, is in heat. For the comely Sondra Finchley. Increasingly, it seems as though the comely Sondra Finchley is heated for Clyde. Warmth is breaking out all over on an another episode of Obscure. Support Obscure! Read Michael's substack Follow Michael on Twitter Follow Michael on In…
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158. Ben Stiller and Adam Scott: Working it Innie and Outie
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This week Mike sits down with Severance’s very own Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. The three of them dig into the behind the scenes of Severance Season 2 and discuss what it is that makes them work so well together as actor and director. Ben and Adam share audition advice for actors, as well as how their grieving processes influenced their work togethe…
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A fabulous synchronicity as Christmas arrives for both Clyde Griffiths and your humble host, joined this week by his daughter, Ruthie, who has returned to the family manse in Savannah for the holiday season. I catch her up to date on the book and read a bit, as well. Support Obscure! Read Michael's substack Follow Michael on Twitter Follow Michael …
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157. Matt Rogers: Las Culturistas Meets Las Birbiglia-istas
55:41
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Matt Rogers is a beloved comedian, writer, actor, and co-host of cult hit podcast “Las Culturistas.” Matt sits down with Mike for a chat about the ups and downs of show business, the inside of writing for a hit TV series, and what it was like when Matt and his podcast co-host Bowen Yang were both invited to audition for SNL. Matt also discusses why…
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