WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

It's Jazz Fest at The Cat Ranch. First, Kamasi Washington tells Marc how an Inglewood kid growing up in the early 90s wound up at the forefront of a modern jazz revolution, including groundbreaking work with Kendrick Lamar and his own massive debut album, The Epic. Then jazz critic and writer Ben Ratliff joins Marc to open minds and change old listening habits, as he explains how to truly enjoy music in the age of unlimited options. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Geoff Tate always found it a little odd that Marc needed to squash so many beefs with other comics, because the two of them hit it off so well. Marc and Geoff explore the shared parental connection that helped them relate to each other and also gave birth to a lot of their comedy. Plus, Nick Kroll and John Mulaney stop by as they get ready to launch 'Oh, Hello' on Broadway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Chris Garcia thought his upbringing was fairly typical as the son of first-generation immigrants, with stories and experiences that paved the way nicely for a career in comedy. But Chris tells Marc that a recent trip to Cuba and the discoveries made there changed everything he knew about his family, particularly his father. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actor Ron Perlman is often buried under layers of makeup, whether he's playing Hellboy or the Beast or some other humanoid oddity. But Ron's not hiding anything when he joins Marc in the garage, revealing his heartfelt thoughts on the entertainment business and his evolving role in it. Plus, Ron shares a Marlon Brando story to rival the best of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Billy Crystal's early love of show business put him on the path to standup comedy, which in turn got him on TV shows like Soap and SNL. Marc talks with Billy about his own show business footprint, including movies like When Harry Met Sally, Mr. Saturday Night, Deconstructing Harry, and Analyze This, as well as hosting the Academy Awards. Plus, Billy fondly remembers his relationships with icons like Muhammad Ali, Mickey Mantle, Jack Rollins, and Robin Williams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joseph Arthur faced some of the same struggles as Marc even though he's a musician and artist, not a comedian. Joseph and Marc talk about the false starts, the friendships with heroes like Lou Reed and Peter Gabriel, and the challenge of feeling okay with how things turned out. Also, author Peter Bebergal talks about magic and music, as he details in his book Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you know the story of JT LeRoy or not, you certainly haven't heard an episode of WTF like this. First, Marc talks with filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig about documenting the rise and fall of literary phenom JT LeRoy, a celebrated young man who was later revealed to be the creation of Laura Albert. Then Laura joins Marc in the garage to explain what gave birth to her infamous alter ego and to provide some insight into her life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Kelly is at the point in his comedy career where he can't help thinking about what's next. He's on the FX television show Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, he's touring all over the country, he has a great family, and yet he keeps wondering what happens if it all goes away. Bobby and Marc commiserate over this shared experience as well as the ups and downs of being sober comedians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gad Elmaleh is a mega-successful international comedian and actor. Now he's basically starting from scratch to perfect his act in America, not in his native French but in English. Marc and Gad talk about the challenge of doing comedy in another language and the universal truths about standup that cross all language barriers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Alda always strives to play someone different. He takes Marc through the many characters he's created, from Hawkeye to Uncle Pete, and explains how he challenges himself from role to role. Plus, Alan talks about why he created an academic organization that advances science communication. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.