Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

By Mike Birbiglia

Comedy

What's Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out about?

Comedian Mike Birbiglia welcomes a different comedian or creator each week and together they work out original, untested material. And, occasionally, uncomfortable topics. Join them as they work it out.

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The Old Man and the Pool: S...

12.04.2023

Mike welcomes back three-peat guest Joe Birbiglia to celebrate the premiere of Mike’s new Netflix comedy special The Old Man and the Pool. Mike and Joe discuss the four year development of the show, share memories about the Worcester, Massachusetts ...

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out episodes:

12.04.2023 The Old Man and the Pool: Spoilers Only Mike welcomes back three-peat guest Joe Birbiglia to celebrate the premiere of Mike’s new Netflix comedy special The Old Man and the Pool. Mike and Joe discuss the four year development of the show, share memories about the Worcester, Massachusetts ...
11.27.2023 115. Pete Holmes Returns (Again): The Funniest and Longest Episode Yet Mike’s new special, “The Old Man & The Pool” is finally on Netflix and he brings on an all-timer to celebrate. Pete Holmes returns for a third Working it Out, and he and Mike roast each other as hard as ...
11.20.2023 114. Jo Firestone Returns: Fact Check This Episode Jo Firestone joins Mike for her second appearance on Working it Out. In addition to just being named the head writer of the newest late night show on network TV, Jo just published a comedic murder mystery called “Murder on ...
11.13.2023 BEST OF WIO: Taylor Tomlinson Taylor Tomlinson Returns: She's Not Like Us(Recorded March 2022) The last time Taylor Tomlinson was on "Working it Out," she had just released her first Netflix comedy special Quarter-Life Crisis. Now, Taylor returns on the heels of her latest special ...
11.06.2023 113. Todd Barry: The Inventor of Crowd Work On the heels of the release of his new special “Domestic Shorthair,” Todd Barry sits down with Mike this week for a conversation about his 35 years in comedy. The two talk about whether or not Todd invented crowdwork, if ...
10.30.2023 BEST OF WIO: Jorma Taccone Jorma Taccone: The Lonely Island's Comedy Revolution (Recorded March 2023) Mike and Jorma Taccone are old friends and former next door neighbors. Jorma also just so happens to be an acclaimed screenwriter, director, actor, and member of the legendary comedy ...
10.23.2023 112. Ramy Youssef Returns: You Already Love Him 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 time around. Mike and ...
10.16.2023 111. Gary Simons: A New Comedian Asks Mike 10 Key Questions About Starting Out in Comedy 25 years ago, Mike won Georgetown University‘s funniest person on campus contest. This week's guest Gary Simons won it three years ago. Now, Gary has been opening for Mike’s new tour and has a lot of questions: How do I ...
10.09.2023 110. Greg Warren: Comedy Lessons From a Salesman Comedian Greg Warren is one of Mike’s oldest friends in comedy. Greg and Mike often work out jokes on the phone but today they bring their collaborative friendship to the podcast for an hour-long discussion on setups, punchlines, and what ...
10.02.2023 BEST OF WIO: Nick Kroll Nick Kroll: Old Friends (Recorded March 2023) Nick Kroll and Mike met in college and started doing improv and sketch comedy together. Since then, Nick has become a comedy superstar, from his Comedy Central series Kroll Show, to Oh, Hello, ...
09.25.2023 109. Gary Gulman Returns: Work Friends or Friend Friends? Mike and Gary Gulman have been friends for a long time, but what kind of friends? Real friends or just work friends? Gary returns to the podcast and he and Mike evaluate the true level of their friendship. Plus they ...
09.18.2023 108. Nimesh Patel: Comedy is Cancer Plus Time Comedian Nimesh Patel joins Mike this week for a joke-filled conversation about how to find your comedic voice, how to turn your saddest stories into standup, and whether or not Buddhism and comedy can peacefully co-exist. Plus, Nimesh goes deep ...
09.11.2023 BEST OF WIO: Jack Antonoff Jack Antonoff: Jokes Are The Melodies Of Comedy (Recorded May 2021) Mike welcomes Jack Antonoff who, in addition to writing the music for this podcast, is a multiple Grammy Award-winning musician, and the frontman for Bleachers. He has collaborated and ...
09.04.2023 107. Hasan Minhaj Returns: Good Boy Syndrome Hasan Minhaj was one of the first guests on Working It Out back in 2020 and it remains one of the most popular episodes because of Hasan’s natural inclination to work out bits. Off-air Mike and Hasan often trade notes ...
08.28.2023 106. Joe Birbiglia Returns: You Think I Give a Care About Christmas Parmesan? Joe “Joey Bag O’ Donuts” Birbiglia returns to the podcast. Last time, Mike and Joe broke down what it’s like to work together as brothers. Now, in honor of Mike’s upcoming Christmas shows in Boston, they share their favorite Christmas ...
08.21.2023 BEST OF WIO: Neal Brennan Neal Brennan: The Comedy Whisperer(Recorded June 2021) Before they became comedians, Mike and Neal both got their start working the door at different comedy clubs. Now, they sit down for a discussion of what it was like for Neal to ...
08.14.2023 105. Kate Berlant: The Comedy Special That Almost Didn’t Come Out Mike lost his mind laughing at Kate Berlant’s new comedy special “Cinnamon in the Wind.” So he dropped her a line and asked her to discuss it on the podcast. Mike and Kate discuss working with director Bo Burnham, the ...
08.07.2023 BEST OF WIO: Sam Morril Sam Morril: What Did You Do? My Act.(Recorded October 2022) Sam Morril tells well-crafted jokes but sometimes they make people angry. Sam is known for dealing with provocative subject matter but he doesn’t consider himself a provocative comedian. He and ...
07.31.2023 104. Jim Gaffigan: Dark Comedy from the Cleanest Comedian 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 Seinfeld, releasing his 10th comedy special “Dark Pale,” and ...
07.24.2023 BEST of WIO (w/ New Bonus Intro): Atsuko Okatsuka Part III Atsuko Okatsuka: I'm Here to Make Friends (Recorded December 2022 with a new bonus intro from this week) When Atsuko Okatsuka first appeared on Working It Out in 2021, she and Mike were both still developing their new shows. Now ...
07.17.2023 103. Liz Kingsman: The London Comedy Exchange Program British comedy sensation Liz Kingsman has brought her acclaimed show ‘One Woman Show’ from London’s West End to New York City, just as Mike is preparing to bring ‘The Old Man and the Pool’ to the West End. Mike and ...
07.10.2023 BEST OF WIO: Conan O'Brien Conan O'Brien: It's His Birthday, Celebrate Him (Recorded in April 2021) Mike welcomes his comedy idol and former boss Conan O’Brien whose hit podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” prompted Mike to demand that they actually be friends and that ...
07.06.2023 Introducing : Funny Cuz It’s True Each week on Funny Cuz It’s True, Elyse Meyers sits down with her favorite creators, friends and comedians to find the stories that have stuck with them and changed their lives in small ways. Mike Birbiglia’s stories about his life ...
07.03.2023 102. Tom Papa: Conflict Resolution with an Old Friend Mike welcomes comedian, author, and podcast host Tom Papa. The two old friends get candid about a bump in their relationship and how they reconciled. They also share advice about the best ways to tell stories about real people in ...
06.26.2023 BEST OF WIO: Michael J. Fox Michael J. Fox: When Your Hero Comes on Your Podcast (Recorded May 2022) Mike welcomes one of his all time heroes, Michael J. Fox. Not only is Michael a five time Emmy award winning actor who has starred in ‘Family ...
06.19.2023 101. Elyse Myers: Telling Stories Literally Anywhere Elyse Myers has exploded into long form storytelling from a short form platform: TikTok. She tells funny and personal stories to millions of people on TikTok and Instagram and on her podcast “Funny Cuz it’s True” but doesn’t really tell ...
06.12.2023 BEST OF WIO: Zarna Garg Zarna Garg: Humor is a Strategy (Recorded June 2022) Comedian Zarna Garg immigrated to the U.S. from India at age 16 and started performing stand-up comedy in her forties. As Zarna’s daughter Zoya explained in her New York Times-published college ...
06.05.2023 100. Ira Glass Part 3: The Best Advice Ira Glass was the first guest on Working It Out back in June 2020, and now he’s back for the 100th episode. The two friends and collaborators discuss Ira’s most famous pieces of advice for creatives, and Ira attempts to ...
05.29.2023 6 Tips For Bringing Your Solo Show to Broadway (and the West End!) Mike’s creative collaborator and director Seth Barrish returns for a special episode of Working It Out announcing the UK premiere of “The Old Man and the Pool” at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival ...
05.22.2023 BEST OF WIO: Chris Gethard Chris Gethard: Don’t Think Twice About Being Naked (Recorded October 2022) Mike has seen Chris Gethard naked. So has the cast and crew of Mike’s film Don’t Think Twice. Chris shares his memories of being nude on set, as well ...
05.15.2023 99. Craig Mazin: The Definitive "The Last of Us" Interview, Sort Of When Mike became obsessed with the series “The Last of Us” on HBO he had questions. And he went straight to the source. This week Mike welcomes the writer/producer/director Craig Mazin, who co-created the" The Last of Us," starring Pedro ...
05.08.2023 BEST OF WIO: Iliza Shlesinger Iliza Shlesinger: When You're Hot Forever (Recorded October 2022) Iliza Shlesinger is one of the most prolific comedians on the planet, with six specials including her latest, Hot Forever, and a new comedic memoir, All Things Aside. Mike and Iliza ...
05.01.2023 98. Ray Romano: Sometimes the Setup is the Punchline 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 each other at the Comedy Cellar, ponder the complicated answer to ...
04.24.2023 97. Bert Kreischer: Inside A Storytelling Machine Mike and Bert Kresicher have known each other a little bit for a long time. Now they sit down for an in-depth chat about how to develop a story for standup, why Florida is so strange, and why Bert decided ...
04.17.2023 BEST OF WIO: Chloe Fineman Chloe Fineman: The SNL Star Who Can Literally Do Anything (Recorded October 2022) Chloe Fineman’s first TV appearance was doing bird calls on Letterman. Now she plays a multitude of beloved characters on SNL and a role in Noah Baumbach’s ...
04.10.2023 96. Alex Edelman Part 3: The Broadway Debut Comedian Alex Edelman returns to the podcast for a victorious third visit, as his award-winning solo show Just For Us heads to Broadway. Mike and Alex defend the merits of kids jokes as well as vaudeville-style wordplay. Plus, a heated ...
04.03.2023 History of Nick Kroll on Mike’s Podcast Part II Following Nick Kroll’s appearance on Working It Out, Mike revisits his conversation with Nick from October 2018 on his first podcast The Old Ones. The two friends discuss Nick and John Mulaney’s "Oh, Hello on Broadway,” and they reminisce about ...
03.27.2023 95. Nick Kroll: Old Friends Nick Kroll and Mike met in college and started doing improv and sketch comedy together. Since then, Nick has become a comedy superstar, from his Comedy Central series Kroll Show, to Oh, Hello, to the animated series Big Mouth and ...
03.20.2023 BEST OF WIO: Larry Wilmore Larry Wilmore: Putting It Out There (Recorded August 2022) Larry Wilmore’s credits are endless. In Living Color, The Bernie Mac Show, The Office, The Daily Show, Insecure, and more. Now the legendary writer and performer sits down with Mike to ...
03.13.2023 94. Jorma Taccone: The Lonely Island’s Comedy Revolution Mike and Jorma Taccone are old friends and former next door neighbors. Jorma also just so happens to be an acclaimed screenwriter, director, actor, and member of the legendary comedy team “The Lonely Island” with Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer. ...
03.06.2023 BEST OF WIO: Sarah Millican Sarah Millican: Put the Email Address in Last (Recorded January 2022) What started as a poem by Sarah Millican about a bad divorce sprouted into one of the most popular comedy careers in England in the last 20 years. Mike ...
02.27.2023 93. Rachel Feinstein: Don't Call Your Wife "Big Guy" Comedian Rachel Feinstein is a comic’s comic— the type of original comic who cracks up other comics. In this episode it definitely works. Rachel breaks Mike as she tells stories about her almost-too-supportive parents to her almost-too-unsupportive firefighter husband. Plus, ...
02.20.2023 BEST OF WIO: Joe Birbiglia Joe Birbiglia: Who Doesn't Like Free Stuff? Mike welcomes his longtime collaborator and lifelong brother Joe Birbiglia. They discuss what it’s like to work together as family—from differentiating between work and family phone calls to Joe being mistaken for Mike ...
02.13.2023 92. Vir Das: Getting Cancelled Except For Real In an age when many comedians talk about being cancelled, Vir Das was actually very nearly cancelled in a real way. When his YouTube monologue "Two Indias" went viral, a criminal complaint was filed against him in his home country ...
02.06.2023 BEST OF WIO: Jessi Klein Jessi Klein: This Is the Reason For Comedy (Recorded July 2022) Jessi Klein is an Emmy-award winning comedian, writer, actor, and author, with a resume that includes Inside Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live, Transparent, Kroll Show, and the voice of ...
01.30.2023 91. Ryan Hamilton: Utah, Idaho, and the Clean Trick Many people worry about getting hit by a bus. Last year, comedian Ryan Hamilton did get hit by a bus. Ryan talks to Mike about the shocking experience, his long recovery, and Ryan’s process of talking about the accident on ...
01.23.2023 BEST OF WIO: Sarah Sherman Sarah Sherman: From New Faces to SNL (Recorded August 2022) Sarah Sherman a.k.a. Sarah Squirm is the first and only Working It Out guest to show up wearing a t-shirt of the band Cannibal Corpse. The breakout SNL star sits ...
01.16.2023 90. Marc Forster: A Man Called Marc For Mike, filmmaker Marc Forster is a rare example of making a new friend as an adult. Mike and Marc met on the new film A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, in which Mike plays the antagonist. Since then, ...
01.09.2023 BEST OF WIO: Zarna Garg Zarna Garg: Humor is a Strategy (Recorded June 2022) Comedian Zarna Garg immigrated to the U.S. from India at age 16 and started performing stand-up comedy in her forties. As Zarna’s daughter Zoya explained in her New York Times-published college ...
01.02.2023 89. Chris Redd: How to Express Your Mind on Stage Mike and Chris Redd first met when they appeared in the movie Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Since then they’ve become friends in the world of stand-up comedy. Today they break down how to express ADHD, depression, and anxiety through ...

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