Reviews

This show is so excellent. I'm a writer, not a comedian and i find the process discussion so helpful - it's a show for writers and everyone else too. I have never written a review of a podcast before, i just love this one so here i am to yell at you about it. Also the j hope stein episode - what a sparkling person and depth of relationship - so beautiful!

As someone new to performing standup, I'm getting a lot out of this! I especially enjoyed the episodes with Pete Holmes, and Gary Gulman, but the Maddie Weiner episode made me laugh the hardest. Glad to have found this!

I’ve listened to over 100 of the episodes in a very short time. 1 or 2 a day for a couple months. It’s *incredible* This isn’t a sterile interview podcast, it’s conversations about some of life's best (and worst) things. It has me looking at comedy in a brand new way, and I’m very thankful for that. “This neighborhood is my demographic!” Love ya Birbigs!

Mike, because we have met him 3 times and I have pictures with him I’ll call him Mike, is an amazing comedian, writer and human. I began listening to him early on when he would do the Bob & Tom Show on Q95 in Indianapolis, IN. Watching him grow and develop into the comedian he is today has been amazing. I listen to all of his podcasts, I see him every time he comes to my town. Early on it was Indianapolis but now Houston. We saw him tonight actually and it prompted me to write this. I think this special is maybe his best so far. I don’t know, maybe I’m biased because we knew him when but I’m telling you listen to this man. Go see him live. He is a funny man and my husband and I have been fans from the start. We will still listen to his Two Drink Mike CD because the songs he used to do were always so funny and smart. Love Dawn & Anton some super OG fans!

When are you coming to Alaska!??! Please!!!

Great show. Love the joke making and following your story as you tell it!

What a sweet wonderful funny soul

Ever since I first heard Mike’s work over a decade ago, I have absolutely loved his sense of humor and evolution as a comedian. The format of this show gives a “real life” look at his creative process. His guest interviews run the gamut of raw, hilarious, and/or inspirational. If you ever have the chance to see him perform live, you’d describe his work as a combination of all three. Absolutely love.

Mike has become a career maker for others as well as himself— introducing us to talents we hadn’t known, creating creative employment for dozens-to-hundreds of people with his every project, and adding his “Presented by” to surface talents and shows he develops and believes in. He truly walks the “ride back” talk of an Elder Statesman of comedy, despite being waaaay too young for that title. Keep up the smart work, Team Birbigs!

Love listening to Mike, and his guests, regardless of if I’m familiar with them before the episode. Shows have enough structure, but also feel conversational and free flowing. Mikes’ ability to connect and communicate with all sorts of different individuals is excellent. Love hearing his perspective on things, as it’s always grounded, but also introspective and mature. As of now the only podcast that has made me cry! Fast becoming one of my favorite shows, and excited to work my way through the early ones!

It typically takes me a week to completely paint a room in our imperfect, no-90-degree-angles home from 1940. I’m always thoughtful about what I listen to during the process to get into the right mindset. When I painted our office white, I listened to A Tribe Called Quest and marathoned the Unsolicited: Fatties Talk Back podcast. When color drenching our sunroom Pepto Bismol pink, I started with a playlist from the 90s and then made my way through countless episodes of Working It Out. Having the sensory experience of painting at midnight while listening to a conversation with Bill Hader was—for lack of a better word—motivating. I found myself adding the books mentioned to my “want to read” list and borrowing them on Libby. Whether the podcast realizes it or not, many of the episodes read like a love letter to Autistic people. As a late diagnosed Autistic person, I found myself aching in relatability, with stories from folks like Brie Larson, who shared about sensory sensitivities, struggles with eye contact, anxiety attacks, routines, hyperfocus, and a tendency toward rigidity. Thanks for (likely inadvertently) giving a platform to our people and for providing hours and hours of what feels like parallel play to those of us who yearn for it most. I love that I can associate the positive memories of those conversations when I enter our home and I’m met with the confident reflections of pink walls.

The process of developing comedy is fascinating to me and Mike’s ability to open that world keeps me fully engaged through every episode

I just finished the episode with Please Don’t Destroy. It feels like I just spent an hour with some good friends. Flooded with oxytocin and love for humble, funny people doing something that makes the world feel better for a few minutes.

I found this show recently. For the last month I’ve been bingeing it and I’m almost caught up. So many good shows, but episode 115 with Pete Holmes stopped me in tracks. Hilarious how they go back and forth and Pete just slips in deep emotions and philosophy that was truly impactful. Thanks for this show.

This show got me through the pandemic and the creative depths that came with it. Love hearing comedians et al talking shop and the craft of joke writing and comedy. Don’t stop the ride, Mike!

I love this podcast. Mike Birbiglia, it turns out, is a fantastic podcast host. What sets him apart is that it feels to me like he is really listening to his guests, not just thinking about what he’s going to say next. His admiration and respect for his guests is obvious and genuine, and there are some truly great conversations on here. I would recommend specific people/episodes but there are so many good ones! Also, I have learned an absurd and delightful amount about comedy writing and performance, and about creativity itself. Even though I’m not a comedian, I’m getting a lot out of this. Highly recommend!

Taylor Tomlinson!!! Can’t wait to see ya at dc improv soon!!! Also if James acaster is a nice guy, have him on the podcast!!! You’re my 2 fave comedians and you’re so different and I’d love to hear you talk about your styles!!! Updating this since Get On Your Knees came out — it is imperative to national security that Jacqueline Novak gets on WIO as soon as physically possible.

This episode is one example of why I love this podcast. To me, the process of going between having an initial funny thought to a finished bit is a blackbox. This episode gives a peek into that box during their “working it out” back and forth.

Great pod! The focus on breaking down bits encourages new conversations and gives a new angle on well known guests. I love the most interesting neighbor question - have started asking friends that!

I just finished listening to the Jim Gaffigan podcast. It was hysterical but It was normal. It was normal folks talking to each other. There was no dirty language— just nothing that I had to hide from my mom. Has she been listening with me—of course my mom‘s been dead for 20 years but that’s another story! It was a great great podcast. I loved it very much and I can’t wait to hear another one .

I love listening to Mike talk about his comedy process and asking other comics to do the same. His combination of thoughtfulness and sincere layered thinking is a true delight for me!

I’m a painter and spend hours and hours working. It’s been great to have this on while I work for some laughs.

I love this podcast! In a crazy world that can get you down sometimes it’s therapeutic to just laugh and enjoy the creative process

My favorite episodes are the ones where Birbigs and guest actually work it out. I love being invited into the development process. My favorite episodes so far are the ones with Ira Glass, Bill Hader, and Rachel Bloom. Thank you for sharing, to all the guests, all you wonderfully talented and generous artists. Note to Birbigs: you can tell the people in your life, cherish you. 5 stars