WTF with Marc Maron (it's a podcast)

fun fun ugh

Pitt to Maron: “I’m here just to see you lose your shit.”

Who are Leo's guys?

I like the dynamic between them in interviews in general, they have a kinda older brother/little brother feel

I was off Maron for a long tie, but I listened to & enjoyed this and the Brittany Howard one.

Ronan Farrow: I listen to audiobooks.
Maron: I don’t.
Farrow: You find it takes something away?
Maron: I don’t know where everyone finds the time, man. It’s not a matter of taking it away.
Farrow: So you’re not reading the physical books, either.

Imagining Farrow starting what is going to be an hour-plus interview and realizing at the start that Maron hasn’t cracked the book.

Maron: I don't think I know anything about the day-to-day work of a diplomat or even an ambassador.
Farrow: Well, Marc, I've got a book for you It's called War on Peace.
Maron: It's your book! I'll read it!
Farrow It's about the day-to-day work of diplomats and ambassadors.

Ha how many interviews have started with people commenting on Marons book collection

He's notoriously lazy about research, especially when he's scrolling through wikipedia of the IMDB credits of actors as they talk. That said, with two interviews a week and since the show seems to be just Marc and one editor, I don't know that I fault him for not reading multiple books for every guest. Doesn't bug me that much since he's still generally good at drawing out interesting conversations (NB - I haven't heard this Ronan one yet).

on the one hand i dont fault him for not reading multiple books for every guest, but on the other hand like maybe that means he's not the guy to interview a bunch of authors

He doesn’t, really. I still listen to nearly every one of these out of habit during commutes, even though it’s like 85% autopilot and the guests are getting thin. Enough engaging nuggets buried throughout to keep me there, I guess.

I’m mostly interested in the apparent marathon one he did with David Fincher that DF doesn’t want him to release and wants to re-do. Ultimate Very Much in Character.

Sounds like I should listen to Ronan Farrow on the Longform podcast this week instead.

Farrow’s as graceful as can be and his work and education experience are compelling if you haven’t heard him talk about them elsewhere. Maron’e main points of reference are Woody and whether he is Sinatra’s kid (not mentioned overtly), so it’s less fulfilling if you want to get why Farrow won the Pulitzer and was more or less tangled in espionage to get his stories to light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4dFCdWmN_c

A masterpiece.

Filmmaker Lynn Shelton (Marc’s girlfriend) passed away tragically the other day. Was not prepared to listen to the podcast posted this morning.

as someone who cares a lot about marc after all these years, i was surprised and grateful to hear his voice this morning (i heard the news last week)

He's stronger than he lets on. I'd be curled up in a shivering ball for a month.

Hadn't checked my feed, honestly didn't expect a new episode today. Wouldn't blame him for taking a break for a bit.

I just listened to this, recorded only a few days ago. Not only does she clearly lay out the timeline of the relationship with Marc, but ends the interview talking about not knowing how much time she has left and wanting to live her best life and make the world a better place—all speculatively, but given what happened soon after it's kinda haunting.

She seemed like such a dear heart.

This was such fun! Thanks for having me, Scott! https://t.co/eua1sgjc2I

— Lynn Shelton (@lynnsheltonfilm) May 13, 2020

ugh that really sucks

I was relieved to hear Marc this morning, too. Everything about their relationship seemed honest and open, even up to the image of him rocking out with some music pros with her dancing along in the recording booth. I am crushed for him.

Fuck. Crying again.

Haven't listened and don't know if I can, but that's just awful.

It was heartbreaking to listen to that, but Lynn Shelton's infectious spirit in that WTF interview helped me to appreciate what a devastating loss Marc must be feeling. She wasn't at all the kind of person I would have expected him to find love with. And after all that they had each been through before they men, to have such a short time together. It's sadder than anything I can imagine.

before they MET

My God that episode is gutting

Jesus this is raw, my heart is broken for him.

Just listened to the repost of the Fred Willard pod that he put up today. He sounded like he is working through it. I have to think that a guy who has been through so much, worked the program really hard for a very long time, is a very willing participant in therapy, and who is a generally open, intelligent and intellectually aggressive guy, he's got the tools to get through this. I hope he has the support in place - he's a good guy who gives a lot to others, even if he gets paid to do it.

It did sound like he's going to rely on a few interviews he's got in the can for the next week or so, and good for him. I cannot imagine going though what he's going through ever, but particularly right now.

Jerry to Marc after 58 minutes: "You knew this was gonna happen, right, when we talked?"

I did, and it was still a white-knuckle ride for me. Had to remind myself to breathe a few times.

Hope you enjoy it tomorrow.

— Brendan McDonald (@ProducerMcD) June 8, 2020

Kind of annoyed by how producer Brendan sold the Seinfeld episode with this tweet, it had me expecting something way more contentious than this actually was. I know Jerry was one of Marc's white whales, but I actually thought it was a pretty respectful conversation. I did like Marc pushing back kind of insistently about how comedy can mean more that just "laughs", but I don't think either of them came off bad - just clearly not going to ever agree on that point.

Just considering the Mencia and Gallagher interviews, among others, find it hard to believe THAT was what had him white knuckled.

has more respect for Seinfeld, probably

Maron also a pretty different, more chill person these days.

Seinfeld is kind of a weird dude. Can see how his cagey, seemingly disingenuous “what you see is all there is, nothing deeper” tact would definitely drive someone like Maron up the wall. He’s kind of a robot.

Conversation really wasn’t anything outrageous at all though, yeah.

I thought Seinfeld admitting he took scientology classes and still had some of those beliefs was kind of low-key shocking.

Gonna have to play this one!

'took (some) Scientology classes' feels like it explains a lot about Seinfeld to me. But is it unusual for a guy his age/wealth/status?

There is a moment where he vehemently rejects any connection between psychology and comedy, which coded pretty crypto-scientologist to me.

eeeek

When I was a kid I remember the tv ads for Dianetics aired constantly, so it's pretty easy to believe someone may just wander into a Scientology center and drop in on a class and then never go back.

Seinfeld’s narcissist / robot / ambitious programming make it extremely believable that he would take one course, value its affirming of those traits as positive, and walk away without feeling like he was missing out on anything for 45 years

Ice-T on today: took Marc a solid four minute of talking to a black person before he started using "cats" to refer to people.

Who're yer cats?

eh that didn't seem as egregious to me as sic made it out to be. It was in reference to Ice's Harley riding father in law, and that's a type he'd probably refer to as a "cat" in anyone's interview.

He does it almost any time he talks to black Americans; I was just being amused to see how quickly it happened, not being shocked in any way.

#boomerlives

Maron needs to post to ILM

please no

Quite enjoyed his End Times show or whatever it is called. Funny dig at Rogan included.

^ Maron's 2019-shot, most recent stand-up show, End Times Fun on Netflix.

I enjoy the guitar players Maron talks to, especially because most of them are favorites of mine, too. But damnit if he doesn't fanboy his way out of a better interview way too much. Mike Campbell, obviously still busted up about Tom Petty's demise a couple years earlier, was so gracious and patient with Maron's "Yeah." and "RIGHT?!?!?" interjections. Cool talk with a lot of guitar geekery, but I just feel like it could have been better if Maron could take the fan hat all the way off.

Tim Allen appears to be the most blithely stupid man to ever be interviewed on this show.