The Hilarious World of Depression

The acclaimed and very funny author Jenny Lawson is doing much better in 2026 than she was in our first interview in 2017. Back then, she wondered if she should be talking at all because her depression and anxiety were spiking, but she went ahead with it, offering an honest look at life inside the mind of someone in a deep struggle with their mental health. Because it’s Jenny Lawson, number one NYT best-selling author, that struggle is legit hilarious, tremendously moving, and actually heart-breaking. We hear from both current Jenny and past Jenny in this episode. She says she’s learned a lot about saying no to things when they could maybe benefit others but definitely harm her in the process. So often, life with a chronic mental health condition isn’t about getting rid of it, that’s not always an option, but it is about learning to manage it and manage yourself so a better life - and one with a lot of earned wisdom - is possible. 

Oh! And! Please take TWO DANG MINUTES of your time to fill out our listener survey. It’s part of making the new version of The Hilarious World of Depression the best and most useful show we can make.

Actor, podcaster, and all-around nerd superhero Wil Wheaton has achieved something he never could reach throughout his storied career: peace and understanding. He has a grip on complex post-traumatic stress disorder, understands the effects of abuse he had received from his parents as a child star, and has cut them out of his life. That wasn’t the case when he first joined our show in 2017 and we hear that interview as well. He talks about loving acting but hating the professional experience of being an actor at a very early age, especially because it robbed him of a childhood. He was also miserable from the constant rejection of the industry. Today, in 2026, we make some connections between the pain he was in back then and the better life he has today. We explore how he looked to Hollywood for the comfort and support he never received and how, aside from a Star Trek cast full of truly wonderful friends, the industry couldn’t provide it. Wil has cut off contact from his mom and dad. And that’s worked out really well.

After six years, The Hilarious World of Depression is back and under new ownership. John Moe, host of the program during it's initial run, has acquired the show and steps back into the chair as host and owner. In this solo episode, John talks about the history of the show, why it isn't just any normal podcast, and why he decided to buy it. We'd love to hear from you with your thoughts or ideas or just if you want to say hi. [email protected].

It's tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn't been very close (Joel's dad was a conservative Christian, Joel is a gay Hollywood star) but were beginning to reconnect. You could point to the pandemic, which left Joel in an apartment he doesn't like for extended periods.

But it's just as easy to point to things that aren't especially depressing about Joel's situation. He's got movie and TV deals, he's taping an hour-long Netflix special, he has recently fallen in love, and he's doing well enough that he's about to buy a house.

The truth is that any of those factors might influence Joel's mood and behavior but depression isn't simple enough to be routinely caused or prevented by one's fortune in the rest of life.

Depresh Mode host John Moe says this interview is the strongest representation of what depression is like that he's done in all his years of interviewing people on the subject.

Visit Joel Kim Booster's website at www.ihatejoelkim.com. For tour dates, visit his Linktree at linktr.ee/ihatejoelkim. Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and on Instagram @ihatejoelkim. Watch his Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at [email protected].

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

It's tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn't been very close (Joel's dad was a conservative Christian, Joel is a gay Hollywood star) but were beginning to reconnect. You could point to the pandemic, which left Joel in an apartment he doesn't like for extended periods.

But it's just as easy to point to things that aren't especially depressing about Joel's situation. He's got movie and TV deals, he's taping an hour-long Netflix special, he has recently fallen in love, and he's doing well enough that he's about to buy a house.

The truth is that any of those factors might influence Joel's mood and behavior but depression isn't simple enough to be routinely caused or prevented by one's fortune in the rest of life.

Depresh Mode host John Moe says this interview is the strongest representation of what depression is like that he's done in all his years of interviewing people on the subject.

Visit Joel Kim Booster's website at www.ihatejoelkim.com. For tour dates, visit his Linktree at linktr.ee/ihatejoelkim. Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and on Instagram @ihatejoelkim. Watch his Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at [email protected].

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

It's tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn't been very close (Joel's dad was a conservative Christian, Joel is a gay Hollywood star) but were beginning to reconnect. You could point to the pandemic, which left Joel in an apartment he doesn't like for extended periods.

But it's just as easy to point to things that aren't especially depressing about Joel's situation. He's got movie and TV deals, he's taping an hour-long Netflix special, he has recently fallen in love, and he's doing well enough that he's about to buy a house.

The truth is that any of those factors might influence Joel's mood and behavior but depression isn't simple enough to be routinely caused or prevented by one's fortune in the rest of life.

Depresh Mode host John Moe says this interview is the strongest representation of what depression is like that he's done in all his years of interviewing people on the subject.

Visit Joel Kim Booster's website at www.ihatejoelkim.com. For tour dates, visit his Linktree at linktr.ee/ihatejoelkim. Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and on Instagram @ihatejoelkim. Watch his Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at [email protected].

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

It’s easy for movies to get depression wrong, portraying a clinical disorder as equivalent to just being bummed out and, in the case of romantic comedies, curable with a magical kiss. People with actual depression know better and appreciate films that show the truth. In this episode, our listeners, the beloved THWoD-balls, give their picks, ranging from sci-fi to historical drama to comedy. We got moon men, bridesmaids, a couple of hobbits, and even a Babadook. Fill out your watch list!

Visit MakeItOK.org to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

As co-founder and co-frontman for the band Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page belted out a lot of up-tempo pop hits. But if you look at the lyrics to songs like "One Week" or "Pinch Me," you can see a lot of darkness and that's an approach that has continued with his solo work. We hear about his bipolar diagnosis, his drug arrest, and his penchant for creating multi-layered music.

You can order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit MakeItOK.org to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Monologist and comedian Mike Birbiglia has always had a mile-long dark streak. Even if he’s never been diagnosed with clinical depression, he’s recognized his own lack of capacity to feel joy and is constantly aware of a kind of existential dread that haunts him. But rather than shy away from all that, he picks at it. Mike fills us in on how he deals with that darkness and the inner meaning of a lot of his work.

You can order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit MakeItOK.org to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

To celebrate the release of our book we are excited to offer you a sneak preview of the audio version, read by author and THWoD host John Moe. Hear how he started to unlock his own mental mysteries with the help of a productive relationship with a therapist, a lot of time with dogs, and some key decisions. The book is available on all platforms as of May 5, 2020. Check it out on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD).

Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit MakeItOK.org to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.