You should be checking it out: Mike Birbiglia’s “Working It Out” Podcast features a few Gorillas

Everyone and their mother has a podcast but very few if any feature joke building and the comedic process in real time. Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out podcast features comedians, as well as other creatives, as they start to form their next hour. Some of 800 Pound Gorilla’s very own share their process and personal lives, giving us a sneak peek at what’s to come. So peek behind the curtain and check these episodes out.

Sal Vulcano explains the backstory behind his two Jaden Smith tattoos which begs the question: Where’s the line? Birbiglia and Vulcano excavate what they will and won’t do for comedy. The two also talk about the meteoric rise of Impractical Jokers which Birbiglia admitted he didn’t think was his cup of tea but then he watched it and was immediately converted. The commitment Vulcano has to comedy is clear in this episode as Birbiglia admits he’s not quite ready to put his body on the line. Despite his latest special Terrified being all about his childhood fears, Vulcano is fearless in his pursuit of joy. 

Mike Birbiglia wouldn’t have met the love of his life without Greg Warren. Warren is not only a matchmaker but a joke machine. The two comedians balance each other out with Warren’s observational humor and Birbiglia’s more personal touch, the two help bring their styles into one harmonious episode. Greg Warren’s latest special, “The Salesman” centers on his time at Proctor & Gamble where he sold peanut butter which Birbiglia has been pushing to be put in his act for years. Warren’s unique knowledge about Jif peanut butter could even make an epi pen laugh.

David Cross, best know as Tobias in Arrested Development is also a returning character in Mike Birbiglia’s dreams. Cross brilliantly suggests Birbiglia’s bit about the Stanford Marshmellow experiment turn into about doing the experiment with the audience, offering 1 punchline now or 2 later. Birbiglia classically takes it to the deeper meaning about how, especially with health issues, we all know what the right decisions are but are still choosing the wrong options. For more of David Cross' technical comedic genius check out Worst Daddy in the World.

Rosebud Baker is not one to turn down a joke that’s too dark and personal but she admits there’s a time and place. She writes for both Saturday Night Live and That Damn Micheal Che but the time available makes all the difference. Baker and Birbiglia hail the natural formation of bits and sketches not only for the brutally honest moments in the writer’s room that lead to vulnerably hilarious sketches but also the camaraderie that such an environment leads to. For more of Rosebud check out her special Whiskey Fists.

Alex Edelman’s comedy special Just for Us had just premiered on Max when he came onto the podcast for the forth time. Edelman talks about the aftermath of October 7th and what that meant for his safety as a Jewish stand up comedian. Birbiglia and Edelman joke about and point out the holes in Edelman’s most recent death threat. Comedy is proven ever more important in such a contentious environment. This is also just proven by the audience who has given Edelman meaningful moments, “every single day” to which Birbiglia can’t help but roast.

Gary Gulman suffers from what he calls, The Great Depresh which is also the title of his latest special. The comedian worries about his place in the comedy world but points that back to his mental health issues in Episode 109. Birbiglia and Gulman dive deep into what it feels like to have depression and the inexplicability of it. Both have had relationships that have suffered from depression on either end. The insecurity that stop you from reaching out is Gulman’s biggest enemy. So don’t let fear stop you from reaching out, call up that friend and tell them to check out Gary Gulman’s The Great Depresh.

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