Watch "Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life" on Netflix

Film Episodes

July 27, 2025

179. Bob Odenkirk: The Art of Anger in Comedy

Bob Odenkirk was already a comedy legend (SNL, The Ben Stiller Show, Mr. Show with Bob and David) before he took a left turn into dramatic acting with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Now he’s entered yet another new phase ...

Listen to the Episode
June 22, 2025

174. Pete Docter: The Inside Out of Pixar’s Process

In 2012, Mike was invited his film Sleepwalk With Me at Pixar and he’s been friends with filmmaker Pete Docter ever since. Known for his directorial feats of greatness with Monsters, Inc., Up, Soul, and Inside Out, Pete Docte...

Listen to the Episode
June 8, 2025

172. Nick Kroll Returns: Neil Digression Tyson

This week, Nick Kroll returns to the podcast to discuss the first season of Adults, the last season of Big Mouth and a movie that Mike cannot seem to remember the name of (I Don’t Understand You). Nick and Mike delve into the...

Listen to the Episode
April 13, 2025

166. Questlove: The Art of Self-Sabotage

This week the legendary Ahmir Thompson (aka Questlove) sits down for his first appearance on Working It Out. Mike and Questlove discuss touring with his father’s band as a kid, every DJ’s worst nightmare, and how jealousy and self-sabotage can affect even a member of a band as iconic as The Roots. …

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 23, 2025

161. Nathan Lane Returns: The Safest Thing You Can Do Is Take a Risk

This week, the great Nathan Lane returns to Working it Out. Nathan recounts moments from his legendary career — discussing what it was like to work with Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Robin Williams. He shares what he likes most in a director, who he’s jealous of, and what he remembers of twenty-som…

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 26, 2025

158. Ben Stiller and Adam Scott: Working it Innie and Outie

This week Mike sits down with Severance’s very own Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. The three of them dig into the behind the scenes of Severance Season 2 and discuss what it is that makes them work so well together as actor and director. Ben and Adam share audition advice for actors, as well as how th…

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 22, 2024

Pete Holmes and Mike Make the Definitive Christmas Movie List

In this special episode of Working It Out, Mike’s old friend and frequent guest Pete Holmes sits down for a holly jolly discussion about classic and new classic Christmas movies. Mike and Pete sing the praises of Elf, examine the dark underbelly of A Christmas Story, and take Gremlins to task over …

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 3, 2024

150. Michael Ian Black: How to Do Comedy with Your 10 Best Friends

In the 90s, Michael Ian Black’s college sketch group The State got a show on MTV, spawned another iconic group, Stella, and led to the classic movie Wet Hot American Summer. Now Michael sits down with Mike to talk about how all 11 members of The State have remained friends through the ups and downs…

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 8, 2024

143. Zach Braff: Making A Movie is Like Throwing A Wedding

This week filmmaker and actor Zach Braff joins Mike to talk everything from Garden State to Ted Lasso to what it’s like to direct Morgan Freeman. Zach discusses the story of his ex once following him through Europe and Mike  and Zach discuss the possibility that a story like that could be the start…

Listen to the Episode
May 19, 2024

Screenwriting Advice You’ll Actually Use with John August

For this very special episode of Working It out, Mike welcomes John August, the screenwriter behind Charlie’s Angels with Drew Barrymore, Tim Burton’s Big Fish, and his breakthrough film Go, which is celebrating its 25 year anniversary. John co-hosts the screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes with Craig…

Listen to the Episode
May 12, 2024

132. Judd Apatow Returns: Hold On To That Authenticity

This week the legendary Judd Apatow returns to Working It Out for his fourth and best appearance yet. Judd tells behind-the-scenes stories from Bridesmaids and Funny People, as well as the most helpful filmmaking advice he’s gotten from other greats along the way. Judd and Mike also break apart the…

Listen to the Episode
May 14, 2023

99. Craig Mazin: The Definitive "The Last of Us" Interview, Sort Of

When Mike became obsessed with the series “The Last of Us” on HBO he had questions. And he went straight to the source. This week Mike welcomes the writer/producer/director Craig Mazin, who co-created the" The Last of Us," starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. Spoiler alert. If you haven’t seen "…

Listen to the Episode
April 30, 2023

98. Ray Romano: Sometimes the Setup is the Punchline

Ray Romano has an iconic sitcom and a celebrated stand-up career under his belt, so what drives him to keep challenging himself artistically? Mike and Ray, who often follow each other at the Comedy Cellar, ponder the complicated answer to that question. Plus, discussion of comedy craft, joke-writin…

Listen to the Episode
March 26, 2023

95. Nick Kroll: Old Friends

Nick Kroll and Mike met in college and started doing improv and sketch comedy together. Since then, Nick has become a comedy superstar, from his Comedy Central series Kroll Show, to Oh, Hello, to the animated series Big Mouth and Human Resources, to roles in films like Don’t Worry Darling and the H…

Listen to the Episode
March 12, 2023

94. Jorma Taccone: The Lonely Island’s Comedy Revolution

Mike and Jorma Taccone are old friends and former next door neighbors. Jorma also just so happens to be an acclaimed screenwriter, director, actor, and member of the legendary comedy team “The Lonely Island” with Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer. The Lonely Island made the Saturday Night Live classi…

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 15, 2023

90. Marc Forster: A Man Called Marc

For Mike, filmmaker Marc Forster is a rare example of making a new friend as an adult. Mike and Marc met on the new film A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, in which Mike plays the antagonist. Since then, they’ve become good friends. Now Marc sits down with Mike to discuss his journey from German…

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 16, 2022

83. Chris Gethard: Don’t Think Twice About Being Naked

Mike has seen Chris Gethard naked. So has the cast and crew of Mike’s film Don’t Think Twice. Chris shares his memories of being nude on set, as well as why he was reluctant to return to the world of improv for the movie. The two longtime friends tell stories about touring together and brainstormin…

Listen to the Episode
June 12, 2022

74. Ben Stiller: Get Some Sleep

This week Ben Stiller joins Mike to talk about everything from leaving the SNL cast within weeks of joining to early nerve-racking test screenings for his film “Zoolander.” They also break apart Ben’s genre-bending hit series “Severance” on Apple TV plus. Ben aces the slow round with stories about…

Listen to the Episode
May 29, 2022

73. Michael J. Fox: When Your Hero Comes on Your Podcast

This week Mike welcomes one of his all time heroes, Michael J. Fox. Not only is Michael a five time Emmy award winning actor who has starred in ‘Family Ties’ and ‘Back to The Future,’ but his foundation has raised over 1 billion dollars to help fund Parkinson’s research programs. This week Mike and…

Listen to the Episode
May 15, 2022

72. Drew Barrymore: Do What You Love

Mike’s first-ever major movie role was in Going the Distance, starring Drew Barrymore. Now, 12 years later, Drew takes Mike through her journey from starring in E.T., to hosting SNL at age 7, to producing and starring in some of the most iconic films of the last 30 years. Drew breaks down her appro…

Listen to the Episode
April 17, 2022

70. Judd Apatow Returns (Again): He Has Fettuccine in His Heart

Judd Apatow returns for a record third appearance in support of his latest New York Times-bestselling book Sicker in the Head. He turns the tables and puts Mike in the hot seat for an interview tracing Mike's journey from "funniest person on campus" in college, to doorman at the DC Improv, and beyo…

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 12, 2021

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 …

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 26, 2021

55. Sterlin Harjo: Comedy From Tragedy and Reservation Dogs

Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo co-created the smash comedy hit Reservation Dogs for FX about four Indigenous teenagers growing up on a reservation in Oklahoma. Sterlin tells Mike about the time he accidentally taped over someone's wedding video while applying to the Sundance Film Lab. He also discusses Na…

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 29, 2021

52. Randall Park: His Superpower is Turtle Figurines

Randall Park has brought his one of a kind comedic approach to Trainwreck, Fresh Off the Boat, Veep, and the Marvel Universe. Randall reveals how he and Ali Wong scored the Keanu Reeves cameo for their film "Always Be My Maybe." Mike shares a dark version of the children’s joke “Why was 6 afraid of…

Listen to the Episode