If you first started listening to WTF with Marc Maron when he had then President Barack Obama on as a guest in 2015, you may think you know everything there is to know about the interview podcast. With close to 1,000 episodes though dating all the way back to 2009, Maron’s podcast archive is full of numerous lesser known, deeply revealing interviews.

Comedian Marc Maron’s podcast first started gaining traction in 2012, when it was reviewed in The New York Times and began distribution to radio by Public Radio Exchange. Marc has gained a cult following for his honest, dry opening monologues (although there is also an equally big following of listeners who Marc acknowledges skip this part). His interviews touch on his guests career milestones and current projects, but also typically go back to their childhood and feature well-researched questions on upbringings, influences and other less discussed moments. In addition to a number of fellow comedians, making this a great show for those wanting to learn the ins and outs of the comedy community, Marc also has guests from the worlds of acting, music and writing.

All of WTF with Marc Maron is available at wtfpod.com, although most episodes are behind a payway. You can also listen to newer episodes on iTunes and Stitcher for free.



Episode 233, December 5, 2011

Marc’s interview with Bourdain is one of the most in-depth interviews with the chef, author and television personality. The conversation is upbeat and lively, with Bourdain discussing his early years as a hard-working cook trying to navigate his way through cut-throat kitchens, to his later success and what he thinks led to it. Boudain and Maron, who both had struggled with drug addiction, also speak emotionally and honestly about their recovery processes.

When Maron reshared this interview in 2018 after Bourdain’s passing, he opened the show with a monologue about what relistening to the conversation meant to him. Consider listening to that bit from the rebroadcast as well if you’d like to learn a bit more about how WTF comes together, what the show has done for Marc and a few additional anecdotes about what it was like to sit with Bourdain for an hour.



Episode 183, June 13 2011



WTF can get dark at times, as Maron is far from afraid to discuss anxieties, addiction, and other more serious topics with guests, but this episode showed another side of the show. Poehler and Maron clearly had a blast recording this conversation, which is full of stories of comics they both grew up admiring and insider knowledge about the Upright Citizen’s Brigade improv scene. Maron does a great job leading the conversation with a guest that he clearly enjoys talking to, but it is Poehler’s willingness to joke around with the host and poke fun at him that keep things light and fun.

The episode is packed with witty comebacks, shared laughs and fun stories and truly a delight to listen to.



Episode 613, June 22, 2015

President Barack Obama participates in a podcast with Marc Maron in Los Angeles, Calif., June 19, 2015.

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Initial reviews of this episode of WTF were a bit critical of Maron for not pushing the President harder during this interview but it’s hard to overlook just how cool it is that Barack Obama went on WTF at all. Intimate, longform interviews like this with presidents rarely happen, and even if Maron could have been sharper with his political questioning, the best part of this interview is just hearing President Obama open up and have a conversation as a regular guy.

Obama spends some time talking about policy, specifically regarding race, criminal justice and gun violence, but he also shares new stories about his parents, childhood and upbringing. Marc also gets in a few questions that were clearly his own idea, and the two spend a considerable amount of time discussing comedy and who Obama thinks are some of the funniest comics of all time.



Episode 235, December 12 2011



Musician, comedian, actor and director Donald Glover limits the amount of press he does, making this interview from 2011 a unique look into the mind of one of the most prolific creative minds of today. While it took place before Glover had made some of his most known work, including Atlanta and Childish Gambino songs like “This Is America,” Glover does still go deep into what inspired him to start creating in the first place.

Glover speaks openly about being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, what it means to be a “black nerd,” and how he worked to find a place in an industry that often overlooked him because he “wasn’t black enough.” Looking back on the episode and acknowledging how many of Glover’s biggest roles and opportunities have been things he created himself prove the conversation is still as relevant as ever.

Episode 67, April 26 2010

This early episode of WTF is now one of the show’s best known as it provides a rare, serious look into the life of the late Robin Williams. A comedian perhaps best known for his joyful public persona and roles and endless joke-making, the conversation with Maron is much more serious than one might expect. Instead of just talking comedy, the two humorists discuss alcoholism, divorce, depression and creative inspiration. New listeners will also appreciate this episode because it is said to be the one that set the tone for WTF as a podcast where comedians could talk openly about more personal topics and would not only be asked about upcoming projects or their public work.

Episode 948, September 6 2018

Similar to his interviews with Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen, Maron’s eagerness to talk with his guest on this episode is what makes it a fun listen. Recorded before a live audience in Los Angeles, the interview is not as long or in depth as some of Maron’s other conversations, but McCartney is quick to open up and shares several great anecdotes about the Beatles early days.

Maron asks McCartney about a wide range of topics, including his relationship with artists like The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones and Fela Kuti, and how he rationalizes making new music today when his older music is widely regarded as some of the best of all time.



Episode 653, November 9 2015



Marc Maron’s failed audition for Saturday Night Live is a bit of a running joke on the show, and of course it came up multiple times when SNL creator Lorne Michaels was Marc’s guest. As Marc shares in this episode, and several others with SNL cast members, years of trying to get an audition for SNL as a young comic eventually came to fruition and he was invited to Michael’s 30 Rock office. In Marc’s mind, it was a complete disaster and an utter failure, but the conversation with Michael’s several years later reveals that Marc may be giving himself too much credit.

In addition to the humorous detailing of this story, Michaels also reflects on why he started SNL back in 1975, why he keeps on doing it, and what role he sees the legendary show having in recent years.

Episode 683, February 22 2016

Fans of Borat, Bruno and Da Ali G Show will love the wild stories Sacha Baron Cohen shares in this humorous, sometimes odd, interview. The stories about Borat stand out especially, with details about just how dangerous and questionable some of the decisions behind the movie were. You can hear just how shocked by some of the stories Cohen shares Maron is during the interview. The conversation also goes deep into Sacha Baron Cohen’s inspiration and craft as a comedian, specifically the theory and history of bouffon and clowning.

Without spoiling any of the best stories Cohen shares, be ready to hear about the FBI following Cohen for several days during the filming of Borat because of the number of compaints against him and his crew, as well an actual person Cohen hired who’s primary responsibility was to ensure Cohen did not get arrested.

Episode 558, December 11 2014

Comedian and actress Jenny Slate has had a career defined by a wide range of moments, including being the creator of Marcel The Shell With Shoes On and accidentally dropping a F-bomb on her first episode as a Saturday Night Live cast member. Maron discusses these topics with her, especially the latter, but the full conversation presents a much clearer picture of her as an entertainer that most people may have been aware of.

During the 90-minute interview, both Slate and Maron are brought to tears over the topic of overcoming from difficult moments in life. The emotion comes from a positive place though, and is a bit of inspiration for how creativity can help us push through when things get rough.



Episode 617, July 6 2015

WTF has had it’s fair share of prominent LGBT+ moments, perhaps most notably during a well-regarded 2012 episode where comedian Todd Glass comes out as gay. Marc’s interview with Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace is equally engaging, especially when Grace talks about her childhood growing up in a military family and her transgender journey and coming out.

Maron is clearly a punk fan, and a fan of Laura Jane Grace more specifically, and it is nice to listen as he sits back and lets her open up about what drew her to punk rock, how Against Me! made their first album and transphobia in the punk community. While it may not come with the same prestige as the conversations Marc has had with other rockers like Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen, sometimes the benefit of longform interview podcasts like WTF is that a wider range of guests can be featured.



Episode 190, July 7 2011

In an interview with A.V. Club, Maron called this episode from 2011 one of his favorites of all time. The episode is split into two parts – the first half is a fairly typical WTF interview, but the second half is what Maron notes makes this a standout episode for him. Hanson, notable for his work as a writer and editor for The Onion, speaks candidly about his personal history with depression, including detailed discussion of Hanson’s suicide attempt that had taken place just before the second part of the interview.

Throughout the episode, it is clear that Hanson’s discussion of the depression is something that he wants to be open about, not forced prying by Maron. It speaks clearly to Maron’s ability to connect with his guests and how his openness about his own personal life can lead to great interviews. He is one of the few interviewers who can get subjects to share about such taboo or painful subjects, and even those not familiar with Hanson or his work will benefit from hearing this open discussion on mental health.



Episode 709, May 23 2016



There is something joyful and uplifting about hearing Marc Maron take on a topic that he knows little about, and it creates an entirely different type of interview than those with his typical comedian guests. In this 2016 interview with the multi-instrumentalist musician, the first 15 minutes consist of Marc explaining his confusion about Joanna Newsome’s music, then his discovery and exploration of it, and finally his newfound admiration.

Much of the interview is spent on Newsom’s upbringing as a musician, her songwriting process and how she approaches learning new instruments. There are a few great moments throughout where Newsom’s explanation of her craft deeply resonates with Maron, as well as moments where they are able to bond of shared friends like producer Steve Albini and Newsom’s husband Andy Samberg, who Maron interviewed on WTF in 2014.

Episode 75, May 24 2010



Prior to Marc’s interview with President Obama, this two-part episode was perhaps what the show was best known for. Released in 2010 at the peak of Mencia’s career, Maron was known for his cutting questions and no-holding-back style of interviews, while Mencia was reviled in the comedy community for accusations of stealing jokes and propagating racism on his sketch show Mind of Mencia.

The interview was meant to be one part, but after a first hour of discussion came to an end, Maron reflected that he was not able to break down any of Mencia’s walls and really felt the conversation was just promoting Mind of Mencia. Determined to break through the rehearsed answers, Maron first went to speak with several Hispanic comedians, including Steve Trevino and Willie Barcena, about Mencia’s rise and the accusations that he was stealing material from his professional colleagues. Then, he invited Mencia back for a second conversation that resulted in one of the most uncomfortable interviews Maron has ever done. While this pair of episodes may not be as relevant now as they were when they were first released by WTF, it is still a fascinating look at one of the biggest comedians of our time.



Episode 111, October 4 2010

Maron’s interview with Louis C.K. was called “the greatest podcast episode of all time” by Slate Magazine in a 2014 interview, but of course the discussion will be interpreted differently by listeners given Louis C.K.’s recent history and allegations against him.

The two-hour conversation at the time was viewed as a deep look into the mind of one of the greatest comics of the 21st century. Marc and Louis discuss their own friendship and falling out and then go into C.K.’s beginnings and rise to fame. Discussion of fatherhood (C.K.’s daughter had just been born) is especially moving, and C.K. becomes audibly emotional while discussing the topic.

While there is certainly an argument to skip this episode, it is also a great look into Maron’s mind, and Slate’s decision to call it the best podcast episode of all time is focused more on that aspect. Maron explains to C.K. that part of his animosity towards him is because the two comics are of similar ages but C.K. has found much more success as a comic. The two talk openly about this, before Maron reaches the conclusion that his podcast is what is able to help him look past some of his regret about his own professional career.

