Books Episodes
168. Zarna Garg Returns: One Follower at a Time, a Million Times
Zarna Garg first appeared on the Working It Out podcast in 2022 and since then her popularity has continued to rise. Zarna explains to Mike how she has built her comedy career like a business, and why performing for an audience of one or two is no different for her than performing for an audience o…
155. David Sedaris Returns: A Creative’s Dream and a Fact Checker’s N…
This week Mike has all-timer David Sedaris back on the podcast. Sedaris, of course, wrote Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Holidays on Ice, among other classics. The two discuss where the truth lies in autobiographical non-fiction, fact-checking comedy at The New Yorker, and how to navigate story…
151. Elizabeth Gilbert: Eat, Pray, Jokes
Author Elizabeth Gilbert wrote one of Mike’s favorite books about creativity, Big Magic. She also wrote a book that, to her surprise, become a cultural phenomenon: Eat, Pray, Love. Mike and Liz discuss the unexpected impact of Eat, Pray, Love, and what it was like for Liz to watch Julia Roberts por…
129. J. Hope Stein Returns: Earth Day Poetry from Clo
Mike welcomes back the poet J. Hope Stein, aka Jenny, aka Clo, aka Mike’s wife of fifteen years. A frequent collaborator on Mike’s comedy specials and movies, Jenny describes her favorite type of creative feedback and why she’s most impressed by poetry that crosses over to audiences who don’t alway…
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 Sex Island” and proclaims she is *nothing* like the book’s protagonist even …
86. Wendy MacNaughton: Putting On Your Art Eyes
Wendy MacNaughton is an acclaimed visual artist whose work you’ve probably seen and/or love. Between illustrating the bestselling cookbook Salt Fat Acid Heat, drawing for the New York Times, and teaching “Draw Together” online art classes for kids, she somehow found the time to design the artwork f…
81. J. Hope Stein: Jokes and Poems
Mike welcomes his wife, the poet J. Hope Stein, a.k.a. Jen, a.k.a. Clo, on the release day of her new book of poems "Little Astronaut.” Mo and Clo have a deeply candid chat about poetry, creativity, and what it’s like when two artists are married to each other. The couple offer a sampling of their …
61. John Green: The Fault in Our Birbiglias
In addition to his new hit book “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” John Green has written several novels that have debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list including “The Fault in Our Stars” which was adapted into an indie blockbuster with Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and featuring Mike in …
58. Jimmy Carr: Life Is Better With Laughter
Legendary British comedian Jimmy Carr begins his conversation with Mike by saying, “I wrote a book in lock-down because it was that or a podcast and I figured a book would be more dignified.” This begins an hour-long chat between friends that jumps from jokes to roasts to a genuine and vulnerable d…
54. Phoebe Robinson: Is She a Writer? Oh Yes, She Is
The last time Phoebe Robinson and Mike hung out, they were waiting to be picked up by an Uber on the side of a highway after their tour bus broke down. In this episode, they discuss Phoebe’s third book, "Please Don't Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes,” the eternal question "to prenup or not to …
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 co…
42. Quinta Brunson: Flinging Cats, Lovingly
This week Mike welcomes Quinta Brunson, the comedian, actor, and writer who blew up from her “He Got Money” memes and viral videos. She has since pivoted into mainstream success as one of the stars of HBO’s “Black Lady Sketch Show” along with roles in “Big Mouth” and as the author of her new book “…
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/
4. Matt Berninger, Carin Besser, & J. Hope Stein: The Poetry of Mike’…
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 d…