Jesse David Fox is one of the definitive voices in comedy history and analysis. He’s written for Vulture and New York Magazine and now he sits down with Mike to discuss his new book Comedy Book, which covers among other things the comedy boom o

136. Sal Vulcano: A Bonafide Lunatic

11 days ago 55m 46s

In celebration of his new special “Terrified,” the Impractical Jokers star Sal Vulcano joins Mike for what starts as a normal interview and then turns into a podcast full of stories stranger than the last: Sal’s prank on an overbearing TV execu

135. Janine Harouni: But She's Funny

1 18 days ago 58m 25s

Comedian Janine Harouni and Mike have a lot in common. They both survived severe car accidents, they have similar relationships with their parents, and they both value the quality of being vulnerable on stage. Mike and Janine discuss the proces

134. Pete Holmes Returns: Working It Weird

25 days ago 1h

From the studio of Pete’s podcast, You Made It Weird, Pete and Mike record an all new episode of Working It Out. Pete brings new and improved roasts of Mike while retroactively responding to Mike’s roasts of Pete from their previous episode. Pl

133. Rachel Feinstein Returns: She’s On Fire

Jun 3rd, 2024 1h 1m

Working It Out hall-of-famer Rachel Feinstein returns to the podcast on the heels of her hit Netflix special Big Guy. Rachel explains why her firefighter husband loves being roasted in her special and why he pronounces the word “cash” like “qui

BEST OF WIO: Ramy Youssef

May 27th, 2024 1h 8m

Ramy Youssef Returns: You Already Love Him(Recorded October 2023) Ramy Youssef was one of the first and most popular guests on Working It Out back in 2020, and now he’s back with updates to some of the same very material he worked out the first

Screenwriting Advice You’ll Actually Use with John August

May 20th, 2024 55m 40s

For this very special episode of Working It out, Mike welcomes John August, the screenwriter behind Charlie’s Angels with Drew Barrymore, Tim Burton’s Big Fish, and his breakthrough film Go, which is celebrating its 25 year anniversary. John co

132. Judd Apatow Returns: Hold On To That Authenticity

1 May 13th, 2024 1h 6m

This week the legendary Judd Apatow returns to Working It Out for his fourth and best appearance yet. Judd tells behind-the-scenes stories from Bridesmaids and Funny People, as well as the most helpful filmmaking advice he’s gotten from other g

131. Chris Fleming: He Should Be Way More Popular

1 May 6th, 2024 1h 1m

In Chris Fleming’s recent Peacock stand-up special Hell, he calls out some audience members who are married and shouts, “This show is not for people who have wives. You have a wife?! Go see Mike Birbiglia!” Fleming is fearless about dragging th

130. Rory Scovel: Dare to Be Funny

1 Apr 29th, 2024 54m 37s

Mike welcomes Rory Scovel, whose special made Mike laugh so hard he spit water all over himself. Rory talks about how telling the truth and being vulnerable on stage led him to his best bits, how his taking up abstract painting is similar to co

129. J. Hope Stein Returns: Earth Day Poetry from Clo

Apr 22nd, 2024 43m 4s

Mike welcomes back the poet J. Hope Stein, aka Jenny, aka Clo, aka Mike’s wife of fifteen years. A frequent collaborator on Mike’s comedy specials and movies, Jenny describes her favorite type of creative feedback and why she’s most impressed b

The Wisdom of Chicago Improv with Liz Allen

Apr 15th, 2024 46m 2s

Chicago improv performer and teacher Liz Allen taught a workshop for Mike’s college improv group almost 25 years ago. Since then, Mike and Liz have found numerous ways to reunite and collaborate, most notably on Mike’s film Don’t Think Twice. N

128. Alex Edelman Returns: He Did His Best

1 Apr 8th, 2024 52m 25s

On the heels of the release of his new special “Just For Us” on Max, Alex Edelman returns to the podcast for the fourth and best time yet. Mike and Alex break apart the story of the time Alex’s bank lost all his money, how a protestor recently

127. Esther Povitsky: What Is Your Comedy Attachment Style?

Apr 1st, 2024 52m 6s

Mike sits down with comedian, actor, and writer Esther Povitsky to discuss her special Hot For My Name. Mike has a lot of questions about the time Esther crashed her fiancée's bachelor party in Vegas. Plus, Esther figures out Mike’s attachment

126. Seth Meyers: SNL, Late Night, and a Ton of New Jokes

1 Mar 25th, 2024 55m 22s

Mike sits down with the legendary comedian and writer Seth Meyers for a conversation that reveals who is secretly the funniest of the funniest at SNL behind-the-scenes and who was the most popular Strike Force Five host. Then, Mike and Seth wor

125. Ilana Glazer: Life Lessons from the Broad City Star

1 Mar 18th, 2024 57m 47s

Mike became an instant super-fan of Ilana Glazer in 2014 when her hit series Broad City premiered on Comedy Central. This week on the podcast Mike and Ilana go deep on the origins of Broad City, Mike’s cameo on the show, honest takes on parenti

Mike Answers Your Questions About Comedy

1 Mar 11th, 2024 42m 15s

This week Mike responds to listener questions. How many of your stories are true? Who is your dream guest? What is your greatest piece of comedy advice? All these and more.

124. Chris Distefano: Crowd Work With The Mob

1 Mar 4th, 2024 1h 4m

This week Mike welcomes Comedy Cellar friend and comedy star Chris Distefano. Chris’s shares important lessons in failure: how a bad set got him booked on Letterman, and the advice his wife gave him about not listening to studio executives. Mik

123. Please Don't Destroy: SNL’s Three Sad Virgins

Feb 26th, 2024 1h 5m

Mike welcomes Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, aka Please Don’t Destroy, known for their wildly popular shorts on SNL. Mike is determined to get Martin to talk more than he did on Pete Holmes’s podcast. The group shares what they

BEST OF WIO: Jim Gaffigan

Feb 19th, 2024 56m 59s

Jim Gaffigan: Dark Comedy From the Cleanest Comedian(Recorded July 2023) Mike met Jim Gaffigan in 1997 when he cold-called Jim’s New York City landline. Jim appeared as a guest on Working It Out in 2021 and now, between touring with Jerry Seinf

122. Roy Wood Jr: Perfect Jokes From an Imperfect Messenger

Feb 12th, 2024 1h 5m

Roy Wood Jr makes a triumphant return to the podcast and he and Mike pick up right where they left off. The two old friends discuss the evolution of unconnected jokes into a more cohesive whole hour of stand-up. They discuss why Mike, Neal Bren

121. Maddie Wiener: How to Find the Humor in a Panic Attack

Feb 5th, 2024 55m 24s

Maddie Wiener started performing stand-up at age 16. Now, at age 25, she headlines clubs, is a fixture at the Comedy Cellar, and she was recently a special guest on Mike’s shows at The Wilbur in Boston. Now Maddie and Mike sit down for a chat

120. Ronny Chieng Returns: Classic American Show Business

1 Jan 29th, 2024 55m 20s

Ronny Chieng, one of the earliest and most popular Working It Out guests, makes a triumphant return. Ronny and Mike discuss the significance of Ronny’s chic onstage wardrobe, the similarities between practicing law and performing comedy, and wh

BEST OF WIO: Ray Romano

Jan 22nd, 2024 51m 25s

Ray Romano: Sometimes the Setup is the Punchline(Recorded May 2023) Ray Romano has an iconic sitcom and a celebrated stand-up career under his belt, so what drives him to keep challenging himself artistically? Mike and Ray, who often follow eac

119. Rosebud Baker Returns: Pregnant with Jokes and People

Jan 15th, 2024 47m 38s

Rosebud Baker’s first appearance on Working It Out was in 2021. Since then she’s become a writer on SNL, written for That Damn Michael Che, and become a parent. Now Rosebud returns to talk with Mike about how being a parent affects comedy, and