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.

Episode 882 - Derek Waters

Derek Waters created Drunk History, but he really doesn't want to know about the darkness that lies in his family history. And while he doesn't have a drinking problem, he's long been plagued by sleep problems. These are just some of the things Marc learns about Derek, in addition to his love for Bob Seger, his celebrity interactions while working at Tower Video, and his relationship with Bob Odenkirk that changed his life. This episode is sponsored by Baskets on FX and Squarespace.

Episode 881 - Laurie Metcalf / Tom Segura

Laurie Metcalf has never been through anything in her acting career like what she's going through now. After four decades of performances on stage and screen, she tells Marc why everything feels different with Lady Bird. They also talk about Laurie helping to found the Steppenwolf Theatre company, reviving Roseanne for 2018, and mastering the challenge of her role in Horace and Pete. Also, Tom Segura returns to the garage to talk about his new special and to sort out why his wife is dreaming about Marc. This episode is sponsored by Crashing on HBO and RXBAR.

Episode 880 - Richard Jenkins

Richard Jenkins is one of the great character actors working today but he was a late starter in show business. As he continues to rack up awards and accolades for his performances, including his latest in The Shape of Water, Richard reflects on the early days of his acting ambitions in Illinois corn country and the intervention by his high school English teacher that got him on his way. He also talks about his favorite collaborators, including the Coen Brothers, the Farrelly Brothers and Frances McDormand. This episode is sponsored by the new film I, Tonya, Baskets on FX, and SimpliSafe.

Episode 879 - Fortune Feimster

Comedian and actor Fortune Feimster joins Marc in the garage fresh off getting engaged to her girlfriend, which feels pretty far away from the young Southern girl who didn't come out as a lesbian or perform comedy until she was in her mid-20s. Fortune tells Marc how she got the nerve to do both, why her grandmother was her rock, and how a random security guard helped her fix the relationship with her mom. This episode is sponsored by Crashing on HBO, I, Tonya, ZipRecruiter, and Stamps.com.

Episode 878 - Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is one of America's most celebrated and insightful writers. But there's part of him that would be fine with it all going away. Marc and Ta-Nehisi talk about the impulse to pull back when things start to get good, the burden of being treated as a representative for a larger community, and the reason Ta-Nehisi finds Black Panther so relatable. They also discuss two of Ta-Nehisi's biggest influences: James Baldwin and David Carr. This episode is sponsored by SimpliSafe.

Episode 877 - Marc's Family

Ring in the New Year with the Maron Family. Marc takes a trip back to some of the earliest episodes of WTF to hear classic interactions with his father, mother, and brother, all of whom help explain how and why Marc got to where he's at now. From his dad's wild ideas for Marc's career to his mom's cautious relationship advice to his brother's concern over getting in too deep with their parents, Marc has no shortage material to take to his next therapy visit. 

Episode 876 - Michael Marcus / Dr. Steve

Marc closes out 2017 with some old friends. Author Michael Marcus might not have made it to the garage if his life had continued the way it was going. He talks with Marc about his days of criminal behavior, addiction and eventual sober living, all of which he wrote about in his new book, #1 Son. Also, Marc's friend Dr. Stephen Dansiger returns to the garage to talk trauma, PTSD, and treating patients in the Trump era. This episode is sponsored by Spotify and Backblaze.

Episode 875 - WTF Shows of Christmas Past

For Christmas Day, Marc presents a look back at some holiday moments from the earliest years of WTF. First, hear Todd Glass and Marc talk about the perils of going home for the holidays. Then some highlights from the 2009 live WTF Christmas show with Sarah Silverman, Paul F. Tompkins, Jerry Minor, Eddie Pepitone and Jim Earl. Finally, a beautiful story of hope and humanity from the late Mike DeStefano, recorded around the holidays in 2010.

Episode 874 - Neal Preston

Photographer Neal Preston is known for taking some of the most iconic shots of the world's most famous rock musicians. Neal tells Marc how his love of music and love of photography merged when he was in high school, leading to a rock and roll lifestyle filled with hard partying, head trips and permanent hearing damage. He shares some stories of Led Zeppelin, Gregg Allman, Stevie Nicks, Queen, and Sly Stone, and reflects on the fact that the majority of his subjects have passed away. This episode is sponsored by Sonos and Squarespace.

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