Episode 941 - Jimmy O. Yang

Jimmy O. Yang felt like an outsider growing up in Hong Kong and then felt like he didn't fit in studying economics in America. It was only once he starting paying five bucks to do an open mic night in Hollywood that he found a community. Jimmy tells Marc how the immigrant story was different for everyone in his family, how he got his first real lessons in American life from watching BET, and how his performances in Silicon Valley and Crazy Rich Asians are so different when it comes to the pressures of representation. This episode is sponsored by Spotifyand Casper.

Episode 940 - Chris O'Dowd

Chris O'Dowd charmed and amused audiences in things like Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd, and recently the Get Shorty TV series, but things could have gone differently if he had followed through on his political science major. Chris and Marc talk about growing up in the Irish countryside and heading of to university in Dublin, only to find out he enjoyed acting much more than studying politics. They also talk about Bono, the Native Irish vs the Boston Irish, and having cats but not being a "cat person." This episode is sponsored by The Dave Dameshek Football Program, Rocket League, Audible, and Starbucks Doubleshot.

Episode 939 - Jay Leno

Jay Leno came up as a comic's comic, a performer recognized by other comedians as one of the best in the game. He also became one of the most successful late night television hosts in history, not once but twice. Those two sides always seemed at odds with each other, especially in the minds of many other comics, but Jay never saw it that way. He tells Marc about the early days in the clubs with Pryor, Carlin, Robin and others, how he and Letterman influenced each other as comics, and how things went south as they both made it big. And then there's the whole Conan thing. Marc and Jay deal with all of it, and then some. This episode is sponsored by The Happytime Murders, Sennheiser CX Sport Headphones, ZipRecruiter, and Stamps.com.

Episode 938 - Luzer Twersky

Luzer Twersky is an actor who has been seen on shows like Transparent and High Maintenance. But prior to 2008, he wasn't seen by anyone outside of his Hasidic Jewish community. Luzer tells Marc about his cloistered upbringing, the details of Hasidic life, his troublemaking as a youngster, his crisis of faith, and ultimately his exile from the only world he ever knew. Luzer also explains what role Marc played in his journey and where things stand now with the people from his past. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, Rocket League, and SimpliSafe.

Episode 937 - Mila Kunis / Iliza Shlesinger

Mila Kunis says she's had a most fortunate trajectory in show business. That's because she got to experience it as a hobby and as a career. She explains to Marc what that means, along with telling him what it was like to arrive in LA as a religious refugee, why Ashton Kutcher is turning into an old man, and why she didn't realize she was supposed to be promoting her new movie, The Spy Who Dumped Me. Also, Iliza Shlesinger returns to talk about her wedding and her new special. This episode is sponsored by Rocket League and the Sennheiser CX Sport Headphones.

Episode 936 - Sue Costello / Jim Gaffigan

Marc welcomes back to the show two comedian friends from the early years of WTF, both of whom have experienced a lot of changes in their lives since their previous visits. First, Sue Costello talks with Marc about how she persisted in the face of ingrained show business obstacles and is finding herself coming out clean on the other side. Then Jim Gaffigan tells Marc how one day he was out there doing comedy and the next day his family life went topsy-turvy after his wife's visit to the doctor. This episode is sponsored by The Roast of Bruce Willis on Comedy Central, Starbucks Doubleshot, and StitchFix.

Episode 935 - Bo Burnham / David Sedaris

It’s a summertime double-header of returning guests. First, David Sedaris takes a break from his months-long 'Calypso' book tour to tell Marc about his visit to Buckingham Palace, how he's navigating life with his elderly conservative father, and why he got a bizarre phone call from Roseanne. Then Bo Burnham returns to explain why he decided to make the movie Eighth Grade after having panic attacks on stage. Bo also tells Marc about the special friendship he struck up with Garry Shandling. This episode is sponsored by Spotify, Burrow, Rocket League, and SimpliSafe.

Episode 934 - Daveed Diggs / Bob Newhart

Before he was in Hamilton, Daveed Diggs was an aspiring actor, rapper and spoken word performer creating "a rap curriculum" for Bay Area schools. Marc talks with Daveed about how that was the perfect starting point for his eventual portrayal of Thomas Jefferson. They also talk about Oakland, Daveed's rap group Clipping, and his new movie Blindspotting, which he co-wrote as a kind of love letter to his always-changing hometown. Also, Marc gives Bob Newhart a call to talk about his new Audible series, Hi, Bob. This episode is sponsored by The Roast of Bruce Willis on Comedy Central, Squarespace, and Sennheiser. 

Episode 933 - Gus Van Sant

Filmmaker and kindred guitar noodler Gus Van Sant meets Marc in the garage and jumps in for a deep dive on his movies, including Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, Gerry, Elephant, Last Days, Milk and more. Gus tells Marc why doing Good Will Hunting felt like such a personal risk at the time, why the remake of Psycho got green-lit in spite of itself, and why his latest movie Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot owes its existence to Robin Williams. This episode is sponsored by Sonos and ZipRecruiter. 

Episode 932 - Ray Liotta / Jim Jefferies

Ray Liotta had no intention of getting into acting but his fearless disposition led him to performing in school musicals, and the rest was history. Ray tells Marc about why being on a soap opera was great training, why he owes his movie career to Melanie Griffith, and why the filming of Goodfellas was emotionally tumultuous for him. Also, comedian Jim Jefferies stops by to talk about parenting, his new Netflix special, and Crocodile Dundee. This episode is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and SimpliSafe.

Episode 931 - Boots Riley / Bobcat Goldthwait

Filmmaker and hip hop artist Boots Riley wants his audiences to be radically engaged. He grew up with parents who were organizers and he believes political radicalism prompts cultural change. Boots and Marc talk about social movements, power structures, and how he wanted to take on all of it with his years-in-the-making movie, Sorry To Bother You. Also, Bobcat Goldthwait returns to the garage to talk about grief, getting older, and his new series Misfits and Monsters. This episode is sponsored by the Outside the Box podcast, Rocket League, Casper, and Stamps.com.

Episode 930 - Peter Fonda / Andy Kindler & J. Elvis Weinstein

Peter Fonda is happy to be figuring things out, no matter how long it took. Childhood traumas and an emotionally distant father affected his life and career, and he finally has some missing pieces of the puzzle. Peter also talks with Marc about Easy Rider, the time he talked George Harrison down from a bad trip, and working with Christopher Plummer on the new movie Boundaries. Plus, Andy Kindler and J. Elvis Weinstein stop by to try and explain what their podcast Thought Spiral is all about. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, StitchFix, and Ben & Jerry's.

Episode 929 - Paul Rudd

One constant for Paul Rudd as he spent a large portion of his childhood moving around the country, chasing an identity, is that he loved watching adults be silly. Even when he was in acting school and performing Shakespeare on stage, he took a lot of cues from influences like Letterman, Carlin and Kaufman. Paul talks with Marc about those early days and the big days that were to come after Wet Hot American Summer, the Judd Apatow movies, and now Marvel's Ant Man and the Wasp. This episode is sponsored by the film Sorry To Bother You and SimpliSafe.

Episode 928 - Eleanor Kerrigan

Comedian Eleanor Kerrigan knows a lot about The Comedy Store. Not only did she become the club's head waitress, she also became a confidant and sometime-assistant to the owner, Mitzi Shore. After a stint as a professional wrestler and an opener for Andrew Dice Clay, Eleanor finally found herself on stage at The Store and she hasn't left since. She tells Marc what it was like to get to know Mitzi, why she can't escape her South Philly roots, and how she's trying to pass along the history of The Store to new audiences. This episode is sponsored by the film Three Identical Strangers, the Outside the Box podcast, Stitcher Premium, and Ben & Jerry's.

Episode 927 - Lil Rel Howery

Lil Rel Howery burst into the mainstream as a hero. Playing the character who saves the day in Get Out, Lil Rel can see how that role changed everything for him, as he's now the lead in the new movie Uncle Drew and he's putting his life on TV with his own show. He also talks with Marc about learning empathy and compassion from his mom and how those lessons helped him with his comedy. It also helped him see another side of a person who Lil Rey believes is struggling with grief: Kanye West. This episode is sponsored by Amy Schumer Presents: 3 Girls, 1 Keith, Hearts Beat Loud, and ZipRecruiter.

Episode 926 - Dave Itzkoff / Robin Williams from 2010

New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff came into Robin Williams's life right around the same time Marc talked to Robin for WTF. Dave and Marc share notes on what they learned about this one-of-a-kind comedic performer, how his death affected the world, and what Dave was able to glean from working with Robin to write his biography. Then, after their conversation, hear the full interview Marc conducted with Robin back in 2010. This episode is sponsored by Amy Schumer Presents: 3 Girls, 1 Keith, Hearts Beat Loud, and Ben & Jerry's.

Episode 925 - Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton sees himself in a certain way and feels as though the world sees him differently. That's why he feels uncomfortable at parties, uneasy about being a celebrity, and most relaxed when he can retreat into a new role. With Marc's help, Billy Bob tracks a lot of his anxiety back to his childhood in Arkansas, his pursuit of a life as a rock musician, and his stumble into a long and prosperous career in Hollywood. They also talk about Robert Duvall, Richie Havens, Sling Blade, and the new season of Goliath. This episode is sponsored by Drunk History on Comedy Central, Squarespace, and Burrow.

Episode 924 - Holly Hunter / Amber Tamblyn

Holly Hunter left the family farm in Georgia to become an actor. She talks with Marc about her early days in New York, catching the attention of the Coen Brothers as they were on the verge of making their first film, and everything that followed, including her foray into voice acting with The Incredibles and its new sequel. Also, Amber Tamblyn returns to talk about being a new mom, fighting for gender equality, and how it all relates to her new novel Any Man. This episode is sponsored by Outside the Box, Gossip, StitchFix and Sonos.