Comedian Al Lubel stopped being a lawyer in order to start doing stand-up. But he never stopped putting himself on trial. Al tells Marc how his desperate search for an identity was coupled with a never-ending barrage of crippling self-judgment, even after he won Star Search and became a favorite of late night talk show hosts and fellow comedians. This episode is sponsored by MeUndies, SlingTV, SeatGeek and Squarespace.
If you look at Todd Rundgren’s body of work, you might think it’s the product of a dozen different people in various fields of the music industry. But it’s just one guy. Todd talks with Marc about his many projects, including his own music and his work with The Band, Meat Loaf, XTC and others. Plus, Todd explains how he came up with Bang the Drum All Day quite literally in his sleep. This episode is sponsored by HBO NOW, Squarespace, Audible and Zip Recruiter.
For longtime WTF listeners, comic Ryan Singer is a continuing presence throughout the history of the show. But this is the first time he goes in depth with his friend Marc, getting into Ryan’s deep-seated Catholic roots, his scuffles in the comedy world, and lots and lots about cigarettes. They probably talk too lovingly about cigarettes. It’s a problem. This episode is sponsored by SlingTV, SoFi, Blue Apron and Portlandia on IFC.
Michael Rapaport thought he was going to be a professional basketball player. That didn’t happen, but Michael happily surprised himself with an acting career that saw him working alongside childhood heroes and legendary directors. Michael and Marc talk about all of it, even if Michael gets sidetracked thinking about sitting where the President once sat. This episode is sponsored by This Is Not Happening on Comedy Central, SoFi, Stamps.com and Squarespace.
When it comes to making music, high standards were set for Dweezil Zappa at a very young age. His father made more than 80 albums in his lifetime, which provided Dweezil with a lot of influences but created some roadblocks, too. Dweezil tells Marc that his own musical journey not only made him a better artist, it brought him closer to his late father. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, MeUndies, MVMT, Audible and Schitt’s Creek on PopTV.
Comedian Bonnie McFarlane has a backstory like no other guest on WTF. That’s probably because no other guest grew up in circumstances that could be described as Canadian Little House on the Prairie. Bonnie tells Marc why she left the Great White North to get into comedy, how she met and married comedian Rich Vos, and why she still has trouble telling her neighbors what she does for a living. This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron, Zip Recruiter, Squarespace and Stamps.com.
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger doesn’t need to convince Marc she’s at the top of her game. He’s watched her put in the work for years, during nightly shows at The Comedy Store and on the road where she grinds it out as a touring comic. But despite Iliza’s confidence as a stand-up, she still has some horror stories about show business, particularly her ill-fated stint on The View. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, MVMT watches and Casper Mattresses.
Scott Ian is a founding member of Anthrax and one of the most respected metal guitarists in the world. But despite being in one of the four bands that brought thrash metal into the mainstream, Marc finds out that Scott’s musical awakening was spurred by Elton John and that he’s part of a storybook romance that wouldn’t be out of place in a pop song. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, SoFi, Squarespace and Stamps.com.
Director William Friedkin is a consummate storyteller, which explains why he tells such an entertaining story of his own life, rooted in three recurring themes: faith, fate and film. Within that story, William tells Marc about the making of The French Connection and The Exorcist, the failure and resurgence of his film Sorcerer, and his reasons for never wanting to do a second take. This episode is sponsored by Ruby Receptionists, Zip Recruiter, and Squarespace.
You know Borat. You know Bruno. You know Ali G. But you probably don’t know much about Sacha Baron Cohen. The man himself sits down with Marc in the garage to talk about what goes into bringing such rich comedic characters to life, why he was drawn to comedy in the first place, and what’s next, with his new movie The Brothers Grimsby on the horizon. This episode is sponsored by Audible, Squarespace, Stamps.com, MeUndies and SoFi.
Herb Alpert had enormous success as a musician and recording artist before becoming a massively influential recording industry executive when he co-founded A&M Records. Herb’s talks to Marc about the past and explains why he’s still recording music, touring and playing that famous trumpet. Also on the show, Mark and Jay Duplass stop by to talk about the new season of Togetherness on HBO. This episode is sponsored by Broad City on Comedy Central, SoFi, Squarespace and Blue Apron.
Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer got Broad City off the ground when they were fed up with not getting their shot. In that way, they have something in common with Marc and WTF. Abi and Ilana join Marc in the garage to talk about the birth of their hit show, plus some talk about New York City, drumming, digital media stars, the UCB, and Amy Poehler. This episode is sponsored by Seeso, Squarespace, Portlandia on IFC and Stamps.com.
Comedian Ben Hoffman’s latest venture into country music seems inevitable. As an out-of-place Jewish kid in Kentucky, he found an escape by becoming a comedic actor and writer. But Ben tells Marc that career ups and downs, not to mention OCD and crippling anxiety, pushed him back to his good ol’ boy roots and prompted him to create Nashville sensation Wheeler Walker, Jr. This episode is sponsored by Audible, 1-800 Flowers and Squarespace.
Pete Correale and Marc probably didn’t intend for their conversation to turn into an unabashed celebration of stand-up comedy, but that’s what happened when these two comics sat down in the garage. They take a warts-and-all look at the profession they both love, including their feelings about life on the road, grinding it out in the clubs and watching other comedians work. This episode is sponsored by Zip Recruiter, 1-800 Flowers, Squarespace, and Adam & Eve.
Cindy Crawford was unquestionably the most famous model in the world during the 1990s. She survived and prospered far beyond the typical career duration of a model by determining early on that if the industry was going to use her, she needed to use it back. Cindy and Marc talk about the days when the Supermodel ruled the culture, the changes in her life since becoming a mother, and the shifting perceptions of middle age. This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker, Squarespace, 1-800 Flowers, and Casper.
Mike Binder’s career evolved in unforeseen ways since he first started doing stand-up on TV when he was 18. After being a staple in the glory days of The Comedy Store, Mike tells Marc how doing comedy led to writing some early screenplays, which opened the door for him to become a full-time film director, TV show creator and thriller novelist. This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron, Adam and Eve, Stamps.com, and Squarespace.
Peter Guralnick’s childhood love affair with the Blues led him on a life-long journey through the history of rock and roll. Peter shows Marc why he is considered one of American music’s preeminent writers and historians, dropping knowledge about some of his most famous subjects, from Sam Cooke to Elvis Presley to Sam Phillips, the man who fundamentally changed music in the United States. This episode is sponsored by Zip Recruiter, Squarespace, and Audible.com.
Michael Moore says he’s angrier than he’s ever been about the state of things. But Marc senses something softer in Michael’s personality these days. The filmmaker and activist sits down with Marc in the garage to discuss where that anger comes from, why he’s made a conscious choice to channel those feelings in a new direction, and how this all plays out in his latest film, Where To Invade Next. This episode is sponsored by Chelsea Does on Netflix, Seeso, and Stamps.com.