Notes from Underdog.

These are not...

(I did this picture out of either inspiration or boredom. Hopefully I will not be sued by either George Lucas or the Stonehenge people.)

WTF podcast 200 episodes: A 10 Best list...

As Marc Maron's WTF podcast just had its 200th episode (a nice reversal of form in which host/comedian Maron is interviewed by comic Mike Birbiglia) , here's a list of some of my favorite interviews from the show [links to iTunes; can also find other means of listening via the web site]:

• Bob Odenkirk (Mr. Show co-creator, actor/writer)
• Maria Bamford (comedienne, actress, very funny, sweet and honest in her chat)
• Robin Williams (the actor/comic is endearingly candid, will make you like him all over again)
• Ben Stiller (actor/writer/director)
• Judd Apatow [part 2] (writer/director/producer of TV and film, an epic interview that is a must-listen not just for Apatow fans but fans of comedy history)
• Louis CK [part 2] (the darkly hilarious comedian/actor/writer/star of "Louie", in another epic podcast where he and Marc repair some old fissues and get to the heart of things, funny and moving)

A lot of the more recent interviews are not linked to iTunes but you should still be able to find them either by registering with the WTF site or can find them on iTunes itself:

• Episode 116 - Sarah Silverman (as risque as her act can be, discover that the candid comedienne
•  Episode 177 - Garry Shandling (nice personal chat between the two, Shandling one of the better comedy minds in TV over the decades)
• Episode 167 - Bobcat Goldthwait (some great anecdotes from the one-of-a-kind comedian who goes way back; now a very good indie director, too, a long way from Hot to Trot)
• Episode 144 - Patton Oswalt (one of my favorite comedians and now an actor, too, always provocative and hilariously "on")

I also recommend the Dana Gould, Margaret Cho, Dave Attel, Ira Glass and many others. The Gallagher episode is now infamous after the gimmicky comic stormed off the interview because he didn't like the conversation but other than that bit of tension you can skip it. 

Of the many live WTF shows, I have a particular fondness for Episode 107 - Patton Oswalt, Doug Benson, El Chupacabra, Donald Glover, Eddie Pepitone. Quite amusing. (Find it on iTunes)

I think even writers and screenwriters can learn a lot about the creative process and the often painful history a lot of artists go through to get to where they are.  Some of the conversations involve revisiting friendships that had gone astray, personal histories that had their ups and downs. They show how people can change, grow, work it out...   But most of all they are often also just hysterically funny storytellers.