6 Tips For Bringing Your Solo Show to Broadway (and the West End!)

9. Melissa Villaseñor: Mike Writes Jokes with the SNL Star in Real Time!: Mike teams up with SNL star Melissa Villaseñor to work out jokes about feminist bookstores, moms talking to themselves, and guitar teachers who are frankly just showing off. This is a true comedy jam session and there are jokes written in real time! Don’t miss it. Please consider donating to: Rock The Vote https://www.rockthevote.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

44 min listen

1. Ira Glass: A Podcast Legend Teaches Mike How to Make a Podcast: Mike works out the concept for this very podcast during this very episode of this very podcast with podcast legend Ira Glass. Please consider contributing to the following organizations: NAACP Legal Defense Fund Doctors Without Borders Oxfam America by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

47 min listen

3. Jon Laster: Lessons from Black Lives Matter. Also, Honey Buns.: Mike discusses Black Lives Matter and turning tragedy into comedy with Jon Laster. Please consider contributing to the following organizations: NAACP Legal Defense Fund United Negro College Fund by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

59 min listen

19. Beth Stelling: Dreaming About Sex With Your Dad: This week Mike welcomes Beth Stelling- the fearless star of the new HBO Max special, Girl Daddy. Beth and Mike discuss their joke nerd instincts and goal to turn pain into comedy. They trade jokes about sex in a rocket ship, middle school burns, flying weenies, and, yes, even dreams about sex with your dad. Please consider donating to: YWCA Dayton, Ohio https://www.ywcadayton.org/how-to-help/donate/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

49 min listen

7. Sarah Cooper: America’s Funniest Lip-Syncer-In-Chief— In Her Own Words: Mike gets to know comedian/writer Sarah Cooper, whose Trump lip sync videos are a viral phenomenon beloved by millions. They crack open the pain of being rejected in middle school, the joy of huffing Irish spring soap, and why Sarah and Mike are both New York forever. Please consider contributing to myFace: https://www.myface.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

47 min listen

25. Ira Glass: The Highly Anticipated Return: Since Ira Glass was Working It Out’s inaugural guest in June 2020, listeners have frequently requested his return. This week the podcast has its first return guest and its first *second draft*. We also learn what it takes to get a story on “This American Life” and whether Mike’s new story about learning he had cancer at age 19 has what it takes. Ira gives genius notes and spares no feelings. Story nerds, gather round. It’s a must listen. Please consider donating to: https://elpasoansfightinghunger.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

51 min listen

17. Pete Holmes: What Podcast Would Jesus Listen To?: Mike and Pete are old comedy friends, which is why Pete does a pitch perfect impersonation of Mike, and Mike feels comfortable asking Pete for advice about Jesus. If you’ve ever listened to Pete’s legendary podcast “You Made It Weird,” you know that these two crack each other up. It’s a fun ride with tons of new jokes. Don’t miss it. Please consider donating to water.org by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

52 min listen

6. David Sedaris: Mike Trades Funny Stories With His Comedy Hero: Mike talks with his literary hero David Sedaris about clocking 90 thousand steps, dressing like a clown, and walking through Times Square after midnight in the pandemic. Please consider contributing to: Feeding America https://www.feedingamerica.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

50 min listen

A Letter From a Comedian To College Students Everywhere: This episode is a little different from the others. If you like it please share it with your college age friend or family member. Also, it’s worth visiting https://votesaveamerica.com/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

5 min listen

2. John Mulaney: Shooting Hoops with the Michael Jordan of Comedy: Mike discusses the Chicago Bulls with the Michael Jordan of stand-up comedy, John Mulaney. Please consider contributing to the following organizations: NAACP Legal Defense Fund Parole Preparation Project Innocence Project by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

43 min listen

15. Jimmy Kimmel: This Week He Hosts The Emmys, But First....He Works It Out.: Last year Jimmy Kimmel cooked Mike meatballs and then Mike dropped them on Jimmy’s front lawn. This interview goes better than that! Join Mike and Jimmy for a candid chat about schoolyard fights, right wing hit jobs, pre-existing conditions, and people who claim to not like pizza. Also, Jimmy has listened to all the episodes AND HAS NOTES. It’s a good one. Enjoy. Please consider donating to: St. Joseph Center https://stjosephctr.org/ Children's Hospital Los Angeles https://www.chla.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

67 min listen

47. Malcolm Gladwell: 10,000 Hours of Jokes: You can hear the excitement in Mike's voice as he welcomes legendary author Malcolm Gladwell, host of Revisionist History and author of 'Outliers' as well as his latest, 'The Bomber Mafia.' Malcolm brings Gladwellian theory to why the re-telling of jokes is never as funny. They riff on evil golf courses, evil search engines, & where that YMCA pool smell might actually come from. Even Malcolm’s mom Joyce makes a cameo. This may just be the tipping point for Working It Out. https://www.yesscholars.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

73 min listen

18. Jon Favreau & Tommy Vietor: Pod Save Birbiglia: Mike chats with two of the co-hosts of “Pod Save America” about voting, working in the White House, getting high at Water Country, and “unf—ing the supreme court with small-d democracy.” What happens when a comedian talks candidly with President Obama’s speechwriter and one of the members of his national security team? Find out. It’s a good one. And vote! Please consider donating to: Vote Save America: https://votesaveamerica.com/donate/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

59 min listen

5. Hannah Gadsby: Solo Shows and Spectrum Gazelles with a Master of the Craft: Mike discusses Hannah's award winning Netflix special “Nanette,” her new special “Douglas” and together they dig deep into the solo show process and how her new show may end up including a “spectrum gazelle.” Sponsored by Samuel Adams Please consider supporting: https://www.safehorizon.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

52 min listen

8. Hasan Minhaj: Sometimes Living Through History... Sucks: Mike and Hasan are friends who love talking about current events and comedy craft. In this episode, Hasan teases possible themes and stories for his next special, which shares some commonality with Mike’s special Thank God For Jokes. They talk about everything from macaroni and cheese to marriage and children to the time Hasan came to Mike’s apartment for a script reading and his takeaway was that Mike’s wife Jen is a better person than Mike. This conversation goes from macro to micro to personal to global. Thank God for jokes and thank God for Hasan Minhaj. Please consider donating to: NRDC: https://www.nrdc.org/ Campaign Zero: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

62 min listen

10. Roy Wood Jr: From Birmingham to The Daily Show to Broadway?: Mike and Roy teamed up to raise money for comedy club waitstaffs with “Tip Your Waitstaff.” Now they work on jokes about gin vomit, stealing fancy jeans, and why being a Daily Show correspondent could put you in more hot water than having a criminal record. The episode touches on regret, redemption, and lands in an unexpected place when Mike asks Roy if he’d consider letting Mike produce his one person show. Don’t miss this one. Please consider donating to: https://www.iseemeinc.com by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

55 min listen

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out: Trailer: 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. by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

2 min listen

30. Nikki Glaser: The Taylor Swift of Comedy: Prolific, raw, and hilarious comic Nikki Glaser shares childhood memories of her mom in the Slow Round that she’s not yet willing to tell on stage but is willing to say on a podcast. Nikki and Mike both admit that their level of honesty with even their own diaries doesn’t hit 100%. Nikki declares herself the Taylor Swift of comedy and Mike declares himself the Springsteen. This episode is raw and honest and funny. https://www.strayrescue.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

61 min listen

20. Jacqueline Novak: 50 Ways To Get Eaten By the Garage Door: Jacqueline and Mike have toured together for years and Mike recently produced Jacqueline’s Off-Broadway hit “Get On Your Knees.” On this episode they get nerdy on joke structure: setups, punchlines, tags and secants. They also dig into memories of Jacqueline’s childhood friend getting eaten by a garage door and what “blinking man” means at a crosswalk. Find out why Mike concludes the episode by saying “You must be the first repeat guest!” A must listen. Please consider donating to: Loveland Therapy Fund https://thelovelandfoundation.org/loveland-therapy-fund/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

59 min listen

13. Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America…and Mike Birbiglia!: Ronny Chieng is most well known for his roles in Crazy Rich Asians and on The Daily Show, but he is also one of the finest stand-up comedians today. Ronny joins Mike to collaborate on entirely new jokes about Mike’s secret superhero identity “Mildew Man,” why presidents need to leave conspiracy theories to the pros, and some eye opening observations from Ronny about the current international perception of America. Please consider donating to: Welcome to Chinatown https://www.welcometochinatown.com/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

47 min listen

44. Sarah Silverman: A Hard Comedy Reset: Mike is a huge admirer of Sarah Silverman and in this episode Sarah brings jokes, stories, and answers to tough questions like, “Why do so many of our comedian friends die young?” Along the way they discuss “coke lyrics,” Sarah’s priceless memory of Joan Rivers, and a story from when Sarah was a kid that is so insane that you actually have to hear it. https://www.kiva.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

63 min listen

32. Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis Meets Mid-Life Crisis: Taylor Tomlinson is only 27 and already has her own hit comedy special on Netflix called “Quarter-life Crisis.” Mike bonds with this prolific joke writer over her unique introduction into comedy when her dad signed the two of them up for a stand-up comedy class at church when she was 16. Mike and Taylor have a candid talk about panic attacks, therapy, and comedians resenting other comedians for the right and wrong reasons. Many jokes. Many laughs. Many confessions. https://www.lafoodbank.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

59 min listen

22. Abbi Jacobson: The Broad City Makeout Party: Mike is joined by the co-creator and co-star of the comedy classic “Broad City.” They discuss the show’s origins, why we should all hope to “fail flamboyantly,” and why you might quit your job after getting an email from Amy Poehler. Along the way they work out material about why Mike hates magic and Abbi’s crippling fear of running into her ex-girlfriend underwater. On one episode of Broad City Mike and Abbi made out literally. Today on “Working It Out” they make out…with jokes. Please consider donating to: Girls Write Now https://www.girlswritenow.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

55 min listen

11. Judd Apatow: The Cinema Mogul Tries to Ruin Mike’s Podcast: Judd and Mike are real life friends who share their real life candid observations in this loose and hilarious hour of workshopping jokes. Judd’s childhood friend peed on him as he watched Saturday Night Live and Mike puts the dental in transcendental meditation because he grinds his teeth. Together they reminisce about 7th grade Washington trips, fears from being a teenager, and fears about having a teenager as Judd helps Mike sculpt his own “This is 40.” Things get tense when Judd declares that he is more attractive than “The Rock.” Please consider donating to 826LA https://826la.org/ David Lynch Foundation https://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

51 min listen

4. Matt Berninger, Carin Besser, & J. Hope Stein: The Poetry of Mike’s favorite band “The National”: Mike celebrates the publication of "The New One, Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad” with his co-writer and co-wife J. Hope Stein. They are joined by Matt Berninger, the lead singer of Mike’s favorite band "The National” as well as Matt’s co-writer and co-wife Carin Besser. This creative double date goes deep as the two married couples open up about creative marriages, actual marriages, and how writing poetry can feel like knitting. Please consider supporting: 7-Inches For Planned Parenthood by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

50 min listen

21. Bowen Yang: How Do You Write a Sketch For SNL?: Bowen Yang joins Mike this week for an episode that is as hilarious as it is honest. Listen as Bowen and Mike discuss everything from gay conversion therapy and googling yourself to high school theatre fails and psychedelic shrooms. Bowen and Mike work out standup bits and potential sketches you may be seeing on SNL soon. Plus, find out the one must-have item you’ve been missing your whole life when using a porto-potty. Please consider donating to: Clinton Hill Fort Greene Mutual Aid https://sites.google.com/view/chfgma-org/home by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

59 min listen

34. Aubrey Plaza: A Four-Quadrant Superstar: Aubrey Plaza is a beloved comedic actor for her role as April on Parks & Rec & many acclaimed indie films including "Black Bear" which she not only starred in but also produced. The two discuss their shared love of indie film, Aubrey’s gloriously awkward talk show appearances, & why she'd make the perfect Oscars host. We learn who makes Aubrey laugh, advice she got from Amy Poehler, & how having a stroke at age 19 put her life in perspective. All that plus new pizza jokes! https://hispanicfederation.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

61 min listen

38. Conan O'Brien: It's His Birthday, Celebrate Him: 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 Conan come on Mike’s podcast. What results is a magical discussion of Conan’s early political aspirations, why the class clown never becomes a professional clown, and the contagiousness of the Irish accent. https://www.corunummealcenter.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

77 min listen

26. All Jokes Considered: The Staff Picks The Best Of 2020: A comedy extravaganza featuring Sarah Cooper, Hasan Minhaj, Tig Notaro, Jimmy Kimmel, Maria Bamford, John Mulaney, Ira Glass, Jon Laster, David Sedaris, Pete Holmes, Jon Favreau & Tommy Vietor, Jacqueline Novak, Bowen Yang, & Natasha Lyonne. The perfect episode to share with friends or enemies who haven’t dipped their toes in the Working It Out waters. We are highlighting 6 food banks and Mike is donating 100% of the New Years Eve 6:30 virtual show proceeds to them. https://linktr.ee/WorkingItOutPod by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

55 min listen

16. Maria Bamford: Your Comedy Vaccine: Maria Bamford has been one of Mike’s favorite comedians for a long time. Maria discusses the time she cold-called a Catholic priest even though she’s not Catholic, stories about Air BnBs, why Domino’s might be more helpful than a suicide hotline, unorthodox covid vaccines, and the recipe for grilled cheese. Don’t miss this one. Please consider donating to: Los Angeles Downtown Women's Center https://downtownwomenscenter.org/ by Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

53 min listen

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6 Tips For Bringing Your Solo Show to Broadway (and the West End!)

6 Tips For Bringing Your Solo Show to Broadway (and the West End!)

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