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March 14, 2023

Marc Maron: Humor Gave Relief from Grief

Marc Maron (stand-up comedian, host of WTF with Marc Maron podcast, actor, author) joins us to break down the arc of grief, the effects of growing up with detached parents, and his journey toward sobriety and defining himself. We discuss Marc’s foray into podcasting, how it enabled a generation of podcasters including MBB, and how his show has evolved over time. He reflects on his past struggles with alcohol and drugs including "cocaine psychosis", his experiences with rehab and therapy, and the positives and negatives of groups like AA. Maron explains how his mother influenced his disordered eating, his father’s narcissism and recent dementia diagnosis, and how his parents’ struggles denied him a fundamental sense of self. He reveals why he thinks he may have had undiagnosed borderline personality disorder, why he chooses to be so revealing in his creative pursuits, and the dangers of early exposure to adult content. Maron opens up about the sudden passing of his girlfriend Lynn Shelton, his inevitable attempt at using humor to relieve his pain, the interconnectedness of grief, the importance of showing up in his state of raw grief for his loyal audience, and the sense of comfort and control he has felt from sharing this experience. He considers his shortcomings as a romantic partner, what he got right with Lynn, and his take on separating the art from the artist.

Theme Song Written, Produced, and Performed by Ed Robertson. Mixed by Kenny Luong.
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Marc Maron

Comedian, Writer

marcmaron
Mayim Bialik

Host

@missmayim
Jonathan Cohen

Co-Host

@jonathancohenofficial

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Guest References

WTF with Marc Maron
Marc Maron welcomes comedians, actors, directors, writers, authors, musicians and folks from all walks of life to his home for amazingly revealing conversations. Marc's probing, comprehensive interview style allows guests to express themselves in ways listeners have never heard.
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