Episode 898 - David Mamet

David Mamet's love for Chicago shows up all the time in his works, including his new novel which is called, yup, Chicago. The prolific playwright-director-novelist-screenwriter talks with Marc about his Chicago roots and how he learned a lot about drama by watching the improv actors at Second City. They also talk about David's theories on acting (very few are good at it), William H. Macy (one of the very few), Eugene O'Neill (he wasn't that great), Shakespeare (he was),  and marriage (you can take a mulligan on the first one). This episode is sponsored by Ricky Gervais: Humanity on Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Music, and IFC Films' The Death of Stalin.

Episode 897 - Ted Danson

Ted Danson is one of the most visible and familiar actors of the past four decades, and yet he still describes himself to Marc as "a phony," "a fraud," "an outsider," someone with "no real talent," and "too chicken" to do theater. Ted explains why such insecurities still exist for him, even after a lifetime of doing a job he loves. Ted also tells Marc about the quirks of being Larry David's friend, the reason CSI was a challenge for him, and his unique perspective on Sam Malone. This episode is sponsored by Spotify, Tearing at the Seams by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, and Babbel.

Episode 896 - David Oyelowo

David Oyelowo got America’s attention with his instantly-iconic portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the film Selma. But this classically trained actor was making history on stage years prior, becoming the first black actor in the U.K. to play an English king in a major Shakespearean production. David talks with Marc about the importance of bringing his cultural background and life experience to roles of all stripes, including his character in the new movie Gringo, who was not initially written as a Nigerian immigrant. This episode is sponsored by The Death of Stalin, Squarespace, and Spotify.

Episode 895 - Sharon Stone

Sharon Stone made a decision after she achieved fame with Basic Instinct. She wanted to build a way forward in Hollywood without being typecast. Sharon tells Marc how she navigated that part of her career, leading to projects like her recent multimedia mystery series Mosaic and collaborations with artists she always admired. Sharon also talks about the family incident that forced her to mature at a young age and gives her opinion on Hollywood's reckoning with sexual harassment and abuse. This episode is sponsored by Big Questions with Cal Fussman, Dear Franklin Jones, Just for Men, and Stamps.com.

Remembering Barry Crimmins

Comedian and activist Barry Crimmins passed away on February 28, 2018 at age 64. Here are Marc's conversations with Barry on WTF. First, from Episode 443, a one-on-one talk with Barry in June 2013. Then, from Episode 626, a talk with Barry and Bobcat Goldthwait in August 2015 upon the release of Call Me Lucky, Bob's documentary about Barry.

Episode 894 - Bill Janovitz / Danny Lobell

When Marc was a young comic living in Boston, Buffalo Tom was one of his favorite bands. Buffalo Tom frontman Bill Janovitz joins Marc in the garage to talk about the band's rise from the pre-Nirvana days of indie rock to a point where huge mainstream success remained just out of reach. What happened after that? Also, Marc's buddy Danny Lobell returns to talk about turning his life and standup routines into a comic book in the style of one of his heroes, Harvey Pekar. This episode is sponsored by IFC Films' The Death of Stalin, Zip Recruiter, and SimpliSafe.

Episode 893 - Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence takes a break from being one of the biggest movie stars in the world to stop by the garage and talk with Marc about Kentucky, cats vs. dogs, older brothers, Winter's Bone, The Hunger Games, David O. Russell, Darren Aronofsky, Amy Schumer, learning a Russian accent for Red Sparrow, and living a relatively private life for someone with a very public profile. Jennifer and Marc also compare their respective symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Spoiler: There's a lot of overlap. This episode is sponsored by The Black Tux and Casper.

Episode 892 - Duncan Jones / Brendon Small

Filmmaker Duncan Jones put his philosophy degree to good use when he started making science fiction films. Now on his fourth one, Duncan tells Marc how he tries to crack life's big questions through sci-fi stories, including Moon and his new movie Mute, which he likens more to Robert Altman's MASH than to Blade Runner. Duncan also talks to Marc about the burdens of having a famous parent - his being David Bowie - when you're trying to carve your own path. Plus, comedian and metal guy Brendon Small returns to the garage to talk about his new Galaktikon project. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. 

Episode 891 - Heather Graham / Sebastian Maniscalco

Heather Graham had stories she wanted to see made and roles she wanted to play, so she took them into her own hands. As she releases her directorial debut, Half Magic, which she also wrote, Heather talks with Marc about David Lynch, meditation, Drugstore Cowboy, Boogie Nights, and the relevance of her new movie as Hollywood reckons with industry-wide abuse allegations. Also, comedian Sebastian Maniscalco returns to talk about his new book and the success he's achieved since his last appearance in the garage six years ago. This episode is sponsored by Mozilla's IRL podcast and Stamps.com.

Episode 890 - Gina Rodriguez

Gina Rodriguez is living the dream with her Golden Globe-winning performance as Jane the Virgin, roles in big Hollywood movies like Annihilation, and new opportunities as both a director and a producer. But she can't stop putting pressure on herself. Gina grew up wondering why there weren't any Puerto Ricans on TV and now she feels a responsibility to advocate for better representation of Latinos in entertainment. Gina and Marc talk about cultural changes and challenges, as well as Chicago, boxing, dancing and Rita Moreno. This episode is sponsored by SimpliSafe and Adam & Eve.

Episode 889 - Esther Povitsky

Almost a decade ago, a down-on-his-luck Marc Maron told 20-year-old aspiring comic Esther Povitsky to run far away from The Comedy Store because it would be the death of her. Thankfully, she did not take his advice and they talk about why that place wound up meaning so much to both of them. They also break down their kindred attachments to ice cream, departed celebrities and sentimental household objects. Esther also explains how her new TV show Alone Together came to be. This episode is sponsored by Control GX from Just for Men and Casper.

Episode 888 - Tracy Letts

Tracy Letts is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a Tony Award-winning actor, and someone Marc is nervous about saying hello to when he sees him out in the world. Tracy tries to disabuse Marc of that concern as they talk about the difficult process of writing plays, the compromises made when turning a play into a movie, the pleasures of being in Lady Bird, the fear he had on the set of The Post, and the benefits of being married to another actor. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Harry's.

Episode 887 - Riki Lindhome / Laurie Kilmartin

Show business finally clicked for Riki Lindhome when she started the comedy music duo Garfunkel and Oates with her friend Kate Micucci. It makes sense because, as she tells Marc, she always wanted to perform when she was growing up in Buffalo, catching glimpses of musical theater from touring companies in Toronto. Riki and Marc talk about Shakespeare, Clint Eastwood, depression, and her show Another Period. Also, Laurie Kilmartin is back to talk about her new book and have a few laughs about death. This episode is sponsored by Squarespaceand the Perfectly Paired collection from ProFlowers and Shari's Berries.

Episode 886 - Ezra Furman / David Wain

Ezra Furman started writing songs when he was 14 years old after hearing Bob Dylan but while still wanting to be a member of Green Day. Ezra tells Marc how those seemingly contradictory preferences took hold in his music and performances, how comedy was his road not taken, and how he struggled with coming out to his bandmates and friends. Also, David Wain returns to the show after eight years to talk about his movie about the National Lampoon, A Futile and Stupid Gesture. This episode is sponsored by SimpliSafe. 

Episode 885 - Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno is a show business legend with an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony to her name, as well as several lifetime achievement awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She tells Marc about the ups and downs of her 70 year career as a singer, dancer and actor, from the highs of working with people like Jack Nicholson and Gene Kelly to the lows of racial typecasting and sexual harassment. They also talk about relief work in Puerto Rico and why Norman Lear's reboot of One Day at a Time is Rita's dream project. This episode is sponsored by Corporate on Comedy Central, Control GX by Just for Men, and The Black Tux.

Episode 884 - Don Was

Bass player and record producer Don Was is a Renaissance man in the music world. Whether he's producing albums for bands like the Rolling Stones or running the jazz label Blue Note Records or playing in his own band Was (Not Was) or directing documentaries about fellow musicians like Brian Wilson, Don always knows what he's doing. As he tells Marc, Don attributes a lot of his expertise to growing up in Detroit just as a pivotal shift in the American music scene was happening in the Motor City. This episode is sponsored by Drunk History on Comedy Central, Audible, and the Rise and Grind Podcast.

Episode 883 - Macaulay Culkin / Cameron Esposito

Macaulay Culkin considers himself retired, dabbling in whatever he chooses at any given time. It's understandable he would want to settle down, considering he was one of the most famous people on the planet by the age of ten. Mac tells Marc about the struggles and the joys of his acting days, much of which was shaped by people like John Candy, John Hughes, Michael Jackson and Mac's father. Also, comedian Cameron Esposito returns to the garage to talk about the recent bus tour she took with her wife. This episode is sponsored by Casper and Stamps.com.

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