Episode 831 - Randy Newman

Marc believes - and many agree with him - that Randy Newman is an American genius. One person who's not so sure is Randy himself who, after half a century as a recording artist, 13 solo albums, 23 soundtracks, six Grammys, two Oscars and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, tells Marc he still doesn't think he's done enough. They talk about Randy's early albums, his struggles with songwriting, his film scores, his latest album Dark Matter and his legacy in American music. This episode is sponsored by HBO's Room 104, ZipRecruiter and Dr. Katz: The Audio Files on Audible Channels.

Episode 830 - David Remnick

David Remnick is a seasoned journalist, an accomplished writer and a proud amateur guitar player. But he's also the gatekeeper of an American institution as editor of The New Yorker. Marc and David talk about the versatility of The New Yorker's content, from poetry to fiction to investigative reporting and more, and how the current political and cultural climates demand our engagement with all aspects of art, literature and information. This episode is sponsored by the new film Landline and Thumbtack.

Episode 829 - Edie Falco

With indelible roles in shows like The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie and Horace and Pete, a lot of people feel like they know Edie Falco very well, even though they only know her characters. Edie helps Marc dispel some of these preconceived notions by discussing her early struggles as an aspiring actor, why she wanted to be a mother, who intimidates her when she's on set, and how she dealt with a major dilemma when she was offered the role of Carmela Soprano. They also talk about her new film, Landline. This episode is sponsored by Casper.

Episode 828 - Keb' Mo' & Taj Mahal

Blues legends Keb' Mo' and Taj Mahal are distinctly different individuals. One grew up in Compton, California, the other grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. One was raised on Caribbean music, the other got schooled in the Southern Blues. One is quiet and contemplative, the other is an excitable storyteller. But as they tell Marc about their separate journeys, it actually makes sense that they wound up weaving their styles together and collaborating on a new joint project, TajMo. This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron and Stamps.com.

Episode 827 - GLOW Writers & Creators

Give a listen to how the sausage of television gets made as Marc talks with the creative team behind the show GLOW. First, hear about the process of scripting a season of television as a group from the show's writers, Rachel Shukert, Nick Jones and Sascha Rothchild. Then Marc speaks with the creators and showrunners Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive who had to bring all the parts together and still maintain their long-standing friendship. This episode is sponsored by the Men's Wearhouse National Suit Drive, Stamps.com, and Dr. Katz: The Audio Files on Audible Channels.

Episode 826 - Jeff Baena / Dave Anthony

Filmmaker Jeff Baena was always into movies that didn't fit into easy categories. He tells Marc about having his mind blown at an early age thanks to directors like Kubrick and Fellini, which helps explain how Jeff could wind up writing a screenplay like I Heart Huckabees and directing a twisted Middle Ages comedy like The Little Hours. Also, Marc gets his friend and television foil Dave Anthony to stop so they can talk about Dave's new book and make fun of each other. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, The Big Sick, and the Men's Wearhouse National Suit Drive.

Episode 825 - Kia Stevens / Chavo Guerrero Jr.

It's a tag team match with two of Marc's GLOW colleagues. First, Chavo Guerrero Jr. stops by to tell Marc what it's like to be part of a wrestling dynasty and how he put his lifetime of experience to use as the behind-the-scenes trainer on GLOW. Then Kia Stevens talks about going from social work to wrestling stardom and how she was able to play the character of Tamee, aka Welfare Queen, by drawing on past incidents of dealing with racial stereotyping in the wrestling world. This episode is sponsored by Hood Adjacent with James Davis on Comedy Central and the Men's Wearhouse National Suit Drive.

Episode 824 - Jason Mantzoukas

Jason Mantzoukas is a great improvisational comedian, which you would know from seeing him in shows like The League, on podcasts like How Did This Get Made? and in movies like The House. As he explains to Marc, it was only after undertaking a global musical quest, having mystical experiences in foreign lands and being jailed in Morocco that Jason realized his true calling was comedy, which is still the one thing that quiets his fears and anxieties. This episode is sponsored by One Night Only: Alec Baldwin on Spike, the Outside the Box podcast, GLOW on Netflix, and SimpliSafe.

Episode 823 - Jenji Kohan

Even when she was in school, Jenji Kohan didn't like being told what she couldn't do. So it makes sense that after she was told there was no chance she'd ever get on a TV writing staff, Jenji would make the hit shows Weeds, Orange is the New Black and now GLOW. Jenji tells Marc about her early influences, her string of unsatisfying writing jobs, and the inspiration she drew from working with Tracey Ullman. This episode is sponsored by Carvana, One Night Only: Alec Baldwin on Spike, and Audible.

Episode 822 - Sofia Coppola

Despite a surname that is practically synonymous with modern American cinema, Sofia Coppola didn't want to be a film director. She tells Marc about her early career ambitions and how they inevitably led her into the family business. The two of them also discuss Sofia's films, including The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, and her remake of a gritty 1970s Clint Eastwood movie, The Beguiled. This episode is sponsored by One Night Only: Alec Baldwin on Spike, GLOW on Netflix, and PLAYBASE by Sonos.

Episode 821 - Alison Brie & Betty Gilpin

Marc sits down with his coworkers Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin to take stock of the time they spent shooting the first season of the new Netflix series GLOW and to learn a bit more about each other now that they're not in character anymore. They also discuss their newfound appreciation of wrestling, Alison's realistic fear that she wasn't going to get the part, and the reason Marc was intimidated by Betty. This episode is sponsored by Hulu, Carvana, ZipRecruiter, and Stamps.com.

Episode 820 - Kumail Nanjiani & Emily Gordon / Jim Florentine

Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon are married. They also wrote the movie The Big Sick, which is based on their lives and in which Kumail plays himself. Marc also wrote an episode of television that was based on Kumail, only Kumail did not play himself. The three of them talk about the circumstances surrounding that situation and about the making of the movie. Plus, comedian Jim Florentine stops by to talk comedy, rock and driving Metallica around. This episode is sponsored by Casper and the Hanes FreshIQ ComfortBlend Modal Undershirt.

Episode 819 - Ariel Leve / Wheeler Walker, Jr.

When Marc crossed paths with writer Ariel Leve back in the '90s, she was working at MTV and on the verge of making a splash as a print journalist. Ariel didn't know she would soon uncover the trauma inflicted by her gaslighting mother. As Ariel tells Marc, she would have to decide with whether telling the truth was a betrayal. Also on the show, in what was probably a mistake, Wheeler Walker, Jr. explains why he's having a hard time getting his new album played on country music radio. This episode is sponsored by The Daily Show with Trevor Noah on Comedy Central, I'm Dying Up Here on Showtime, Hulu, and the Hanes FreshIQ ComfortBlend Modal Undershirt.

Episode 818 - Mark Mulcahy / Phil Elverum

It's a doubleheader of singer-songwriters who are separated by several years but tied together by similar tragedies that reshaped their lives and their art. First, Phil Elverum of The Microphones and Mount Eerie tells Marc why he urgently needed to write his new album. Then Mark Mulcahy talks about the stops on his journey, from his work with Miracle Legion to finding mainstream recognition as part of the show The Adventures of Pete and Pete to realigning everything through his solo work. This episode is sponsored by The Jim Jefferies Show on Comedy Central, the Outside the Box podcast, PLAYBASE by Sonos, and MVMT.

Episode 817 - Lesley Stahl / Demetri Martin

Marc interviews an interviewer when Lesley Stahl spends 60 minutes in the garage. The veteran journalist tells Marc what it was like to cover Watergate, interview U.S. Presidents, report on the struggles of real people, confront the changing nature of journalism, and become a grandma. Also, Demetri Martin returns to talk about his new movie Dean and the new challenges he's facing with his standup. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, I'm Dying Up Here on Showtime, and Stamps.com.

Episode 816 - Senator Al Franken

Marc travels to Washington, DC for a conversation with his old radio co-worker who now happens to be a United States Senator. Al Franken takes Marc through his start in comedy with Tom Davis, his fifteen years at SNL and his emergence as a political leader. The Senator works through the challenges of the Trump Presidency, gives his impressions of fellow Senators and explains how his career in comedy helped him in politics. This episode is sponsored by Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust on Netflix, the Outside the Box Podcast, Hulu and the Hanes FreshIQ ComfortBlend Modal Undershirt.

Episode 815 - Jake Fogelnest / Ron Funches

Jake Fogelnest was a teenager with a public access show who was thrust into a high-profile MTV gig and before too long was in rehab for drug addiction. Now Jake's a successful writer and show runner but it all started out with him as a 10-year-old comedy fan going to the clubs of New York City to see people like Marc Maron. Plus, Ron Funches returns to the garage as he gets ready to head out on tour, ready to talk about losing some TV shows but also losing 140 pounds. This episode is sponsored by Audible, the new series I'm Dying Up Here on Showtime, and the Hanes FreshIQ ComfortBlend Modal Undershirt.

Episode 814 - Danny Fields / J Mascis

Danny Fields is a music manager, a publicist, a magazine editor, a writer, and a conduit to some of the greatest artists ever, including Andy Warhol, the Velvet Underground, the Doors, the Ramones, and many others. Danny takes Marc through a his experiences during a half-century of cutting edge music and pop art and also explains his role in an infamous Beatles controversy. Also, guitar legend J Mascis stops by to hang out, talk about Adele, and play some tunes. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and the Hanes FreshIQ ComfortBlend Modal Undershirt.