Listener Reviews

so nice to get inside the heads and processes of comedians I look up to. how they’re able to keep up with it all or manage the career is such a mystery to me beyond the comedy itself. love listening!

For all the delightful conversation and humor in this show, I can’t help but find an obvious hole: not once have I heard, ‘Special thanks to my Birbigliare, Mike Birkowitz…’ This is a somewhat disturbing oversight, which I hope will be remedied soon.

Took me until episode 37 to realize that this podcast talks about pizza a lot, and since listening to this podcast, I’ve been eating pizza a lot. I don’t think this is a coincidence.Podcast worth every calorie 10/10

5 star rating. I’ve listened to every episode. Mike, I’m a huge fan, have seen you perform as has my daughter (at SUNY Purchase). Speaking as a member of your fan base “We can take it.” I don’t think you needed the disclaimer at the beginning of the Jimmy Carr podcast. If people are choosing to listen to a comedy podcast they likely have a sense of humor and a basic understanding of comedy. If they don’t they should learn. If after listening to Jimmy Carr, people think he’s mean spirited, they’re not getting it. My son (14) and I saw an extremely dark joke on Rick and Morty yesterday. We both thought it was too dark, but I stopped the show to explain to him that they get to make the joke. And just because it crossed our line, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t funny to somebody. I am not slamming “cancel culture.” I just think we need to distinguish between what’s in a comedian’s heart versus mean spirited. I laughed so hard at this episode. Love the podcast, and I will absolutely continue to listen.

I’ve been a fan of Mike Birbiglia’s work for a long time, and I enjoy his conversations with other creative people. I am also transgender, and this week, Mike re-uploaded an episode wherein he defends Dave Chappelle against critics without really engaging with what Chappelle’s recent critics have to say, especially over his comments on trans people. It’s possibly just a coincidence that Mike re-uploaded this episode while there’s a lot of controversy over Chappelle. However, hearing his defense of Chappelle, especially now, felt like a slap in the face. I’m sorry Mike. I really like your show, and I was deeply moved by Sarah’s stories on this episode. It still hurt.EDIT: Not every episode can be your favorite, Mike. If they’re all the best, none of them are.

Birbiglia interviews comedians and untangles the comedic bits out of their thoughts.He’s encouraging, kind, and unflinchingly honest about his quest for funny.It’s helped me write, and take seriously all my dumb little observations. It wonderful to listen to people who take delight in taking comedy seriously.Cant wait to see his new special and see how his jokes evolved!💜💗💜

I’ve been a fan of Mike’s ever since I first saw him perform live in 2002. Had my son a year later, he’s 18 now and also a fan. Great guests, great interview questions. Lots of nerdy specifics about comedy, writing, and creating in general. Thoroughly enjoyable time and again.

Stephen Colbert episode is my favorite! I love and look forward to this podcast weekly.

I love this pod. Its honest. Sometimes it makes me laugh really hard but most of the time it makes me think. I think the best is yet to come as well, once the show doesn’t have to be on Zoom, Mike will really blossom.

I love this podcast! I think what I like most about it is just the very smart and engaged conversations between Mike and the guests. It’s both critical and vulnerable and I love the energy Mike brings to the show and how he works with the guests. I love stand up comedy and I’ve found it so enjoyable to hear more of the back end of how a good joke is formed and what new ideas can be brought to the table.

I have listened to a wide variety of podcasts, but this is my #1 favorite! I was pregnant when I saw the Netflix special “The New One” and it was so relatable! When I found out there was a podcast, I subscribed ASAP! If you need laughs, easy listening, I HIGHLY recommend this podcast!! Mike, thank you for the many laughs- it helped me tons on my maternity leave! ❤️

I have come to really love this podcast. I can’t really put my finger on why. I’m not even that into comedy, probably because so much of it has been so misogynistic. But Mike is not of that mold, and his eclectic and thoughtful choice of guests clearly reflects that. I get so drawn into his deeply human conversations, which are about so much more than comedy. I got particularly engrossed in today’s episode with Sterlin Harjo. I look forward to watching HIS stuff! As I look forward to Mike’s new show!

Thanks to Pete Holmes I will now be finding myself regularly pretending to be 10x more sensitive then I actully am. Love the show.

Very funny host and a hilarious guest. I enjoyed learning how they developed their comedy routines out of their life stories. Interesting and useful. Still Interesting and Funny I’ve listened to many episodes now. The last episode I heard was Phoebe Robinson. I never heard of her, but she was really and had some good insight and stories. I haven’t heard of any of his guests, bur they have all been fabulous, interesting, funny, telling, and super. Great show, great host, and great stories!

I’ve learned a bit and smiled/laughed A LOT! It’s a Great show with a good heart!!!!! I highly recommend! It’s Personally inspired me to write but I’d recommend to anyone!

The show is brilliant. Yeah, sometimes he makes it awkward but it’s a show about developing jokes between writers. It’s supposed to be about the process, not the final product. Good conversations make us all more understanding and funny. PS it was the right length of time to complete training runs so now I’m relistening because I can’t run without it.

I like to imagine giving answers to Mike’s slow round questions. I love the specific stories that the questions evoke and how supportive mike is of them. I always reach the end of the podcast inspired to write and work out my own projects, and then I just have to keep doing my garbage day job instead.

I usually would never post a review, but I saw that someone left a negative review and wanted to counteract that. I look forward to this podcast every week! Mike is an excellent host and it seems effortless the way he talks with the guests. After listening to this podcast, I feel relaxed, moved, and of course happy (much like I feel after any of Mike’s specials). My favorite part of each episode is when he actually works out comedy bits with the guests, which usually makes me laugh out loud. I’ve even relistened to episodes when I need a change of mood or to feel the joy that this podcast exudes. So, I’m telling my friends and my enemies: listen to Working it Out!

As a comedy nerd, I love listening to Mike go back and forth with these other brilliant comics. Not only is he a comedy veteran with a developed and unique comedic lens. It seems like he is a veteran of navigating these interactions with others. He manages to keep to a consistent format, and it’s a format that seems to work universally well. But you can tell he works hard to never compromise the flow of the conversation or the (sometimes vulnerable/intimate) stories being shared. I look forward to each episode, just as I look forward to all of Mike’s content - comedy, movies, acting, etc. I’ve also heard from other comics that he’s genuinely a really nice guy, which warms my heart and makes me feel good about being such a big fan of his!

I find the work funny and often thoughtful and deep. Thank you for what you’re doing! I’m drinking Sundrift now 😊

i really like how Mike brings out the relaxed version of his guests. i think it brings out gems we don’t see other places. get Lorde on this podcast!!

Really love this podcast. Amazing to hear Mike talking w other comedians and creators - peers absolutely yes “working it out”. Something amazing abt the inside respect, process, and real interchange. Highly recommend.

I want so badly to slow down the Pete Holmes’ bit “It was built it” during the paperback episode of this podcast to hear Pete screaming like a baboon and Mike politely laughing (sounding nothing like a baboon) and going “Haa… haa… haa.” The monotone laugh would become slower and slower and more forced as the screams of “AND YOU CAAAAME” crescendoed like a wild, drawn-out, Sting-esque orgasm!

Chlorine is like the pale guy who combs his hair over like he still has hair. Who orders 2 pounds of head cheese sliced extra thick at the deli. Who goes to buffets just for the bone marrow. His cologne would be chlorine. Thanks for the laughs and great interviews!