As it usually goes, all good things must come to an end. Sometimes, even the best of the best takes it final bow, and after nearly 16 years of pure dominance as the blueprint of modern podcasting, WTF with Marc Maron will do just that.
As announced by Maron earlier this week ahead of episode #1648 featuring John Mulaney, the iconic podcast will do just as its longtime introduction commands, and will be locking the gates this fall on a nearly two-decade run as one of the most successful and critically-acclaimed podcasts on the air. Of course, the show has provided an endless stream of entertainment based on name recognition of its guests alone, hosting the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Arnold Schwarzenegger to Eddie Murphy and Conan O’Brien, but Maron cultivated something much deeper and impressive from behind the mic than what is visible to the naked eye.
Since firing up the audio rig in his garage in 2009 alongside his longtime creative partner and producer Brendan McDonald, Maron has welcomed droves of accomplished comedians, musicians, TV and film legends, world leaders — including a sitting president — and everything in between to the confines of his home.
At the very root of the show, Maron has used it as a means of not only laughing and holding court with Pop culture royalty, but also as an anchor for coping, healing, crying, learning and sharing his own wisdom with his vast audience, and in the process, has offered up countless hours of genuine, expansive, and often raw or poignant conversations for us to get lost in.
So, instead of simply saying “R.I.P. WTF,” and calling it a day, we’ve decided to look back on five of what we feel are must-listen episodes from the show’s titanic run, and what made them so special. Check out our selections, and carry on, fellow What-The-Fuccaneers. Boomer Lives.
Episode 67: Robin Williams
Just thinking about this one still hurts. Not only for how Robin Williams’ significant impact on the world made this particular episode a critically-acclaimed entry into the National Recording Registry, but of course listening to the man speak about life beating the hell out of him, and how he kept coming back from it all. An obviously kind yet broken soul, Williams didn’t let his status as one of the true comedy GOATs get in the way of an unfiltered and honest conversation about addiction, divorce, and all the obstacles that came along with those experiences. Even this early in the show’s history, it laid the groundwork for solidifying Maron’s approach to having deep, meaningful conversations in ways you wouldn’t necessarily expect.
Episode 219: Norm MacDonald
As an all-time comedy monolith, Norm MacDonald was synonymous with “living for the bit” for decades, but this chat joyfully and meticulously peeled back the layers of the artist, and allowed us to hear how the man himself saw the world through his naturally funny and uniquely “ Norm” perspective. On its face, two comics are just being comics and talking shop. Listening further and following along the entire way, though, it’s almost mesmerizing how genuine Maron and MacDonald are towards each other, with one being just as in awe of the other, and keeping it light while also keeping it real.
Episode 502: Anthony Bourdain
If ever there was a bonafide rock star manning a kitchen, it was Anthony Bourdain, and this chat showcased that in a myriad of ways. Even as the definition of “cool” personified, Bourdain’s down-to-earth demeanor was no surprise, nor was his humility, but to hear him and Maron find the similarities between their respective crafts and show each other respect with an palpable, special connection felt surreal the first time we heard it, and of course, it feels even more surreal now listening back.
Episode 613: Barack Obama
First and foremost, this chat was made possible by a virtually unheard of amount of access (at least at the time) usually reserved for major news networks. Secondly, it confirmed what we already suspected about good ol’ Barry the White Sox fan in that he is a frustratingly smart, thoughtful, and funny guy who knows how to hang loose and have a fun, solid, and meaningful chat.
Episode 627: Remembering Lynn Shelton
Without a doubt serving as the most heart-wrenching and heavy episode in the show’s catalog, Maron paid tribute to the love of his life in Lynn Shelton with both funny and heartfelt memories and showing appreciation for the powerful creative force she brought to the masses as both an accomplished filmmaker and his partner, while keeping himself wide open and vulnerable to the waves of emotion that come with such grief and tragedy. To cap it off with a look back the interview he did with Shelton in 2015 just further showed how much love, respect and admiration the two had for each other, and it was a perfect touch. We’re getting misty-eyed just thinking about it again, but it truly showcased a prime example of just how genuine of an approach Maron has taken to the show in letting himself be that vulnerable with his audience.