I really liked the Sam Jay and Nicole Byer episodes, I listened to the Mira Sorvino one because I was all, "Where the fuck has she been?" and then I was all, "Ugh, damn," but that one was good, too.

I thought the Joe Walsh one could have used more James Gang talk than Eagles talk. Didn't care for it but I was doing 25mph downhill for the momentum to get back uphill on a half mile ninety foot incline - you know, bike shit - so I couldn't pull the phone out of my pocket.

The Norm one was good, even if Norm was a known bullshitter. The part about going to a museum as a kid and falling in love with a woman in a painting was one of the most vulnerable stories I've heard a person tell, even if there's a chance he just made it up.

Haven't listened since the Flea episode, which reminded me that I think that guy fucking rocks even if his band doesn't. I just haven't been in the mood for the show for a while.

As far as his interviewing skills, there have been plenty of times where I've said, out loud, even, "Dude, will you shut the fuck up and let them answer?"

NC but, dude, shut the fuck up and let people finish a goddamned sentence.

Maron announced that he’s ending WTF this year.

I haven’t listened to it much in the past couple years, but the recent chat with Peter Wolf is pretty good. That guy has met everyone.

Among other things, supposedly he's developing a spin-off doctor series called WTFOBGYN where each check-up starts with "Who are your guys?" and ends with "So are we good?"

Everytime I dipped in in recent years I found the hard 1 hour limit strangled it - it would only just be getting good and he'd end it (plus he'd talk over them).

I actually like his standup and hope he pursues that more now he's got the visibility.

I had the over/under of how many times he would call Josh Homme "dude" at 15, and I think the over won around halfway through.

But also, when they were talking about the Bataclan attacks, at one point Josh told Mark he appreciated not being asked to go into detail...and then Mark pressed him to the extent that he described specific people important to him that didn't make it out. WTF, indeed.

I've listened to the majority of his interviews for at least a decade. In retrospect his hyper-engaged, empathetic energy (he does connect his personal experience with everything people say, almost the anti-Terri Gross for better and worse) has become a little less sharp after doing hundreds and hundreds of episodes.

My favorite slightly embarrassing thing he does is slip into dialects depending on who he's talking to. Characters include:

- Elderly NY deli owner (interviewing a Mel Brooks type)
- Vintage jazz "cat" (with Quincy Jones)
- Jersey Shore/Queens salt of the earth (with lifelong east coast folks)
- Turtle-necked actors' studio type earnestly musing on process

To be fair, he has personal connections and history with all of these types. Also, I change the way I talk based on conversation partners also.

My favorite moment for WTF was when he playfully called Nick Cave a cowboy (which I guess has different connotations in Australia) and he came back with a cold-as-ice, "I'm not a fucking cowboy," and the interview didn't really recover.

iembalm wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 10:45 am I had the over/under of how many times he would call Josh Homme "dude" at 15, and I think the over won around halfway through.

But also, when they were talking about the Bataclan attacks, at one point Josh told Mark he appreciated not being asked to go into detail...and then Mark pressed him to the extent that he described specific people important to him that didn't make it out. WTF, indeed.

TBF i don't think josh was "setting a boundary" there. he was as comfortable as possible, considering the subject matter. and he even noted the contradiction, "it's not my story to tell, yet here i am telling it.... this conversation is not helpful, but i want to." as an interviewer, i would feel lost at sea.
good episode, i have not tuned in for years.

iembalm wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 3:00 pm My favorite moment for WTF was when he playfully called Nick Cave a cowboy (which I guess has different connotations in Australia) and he came back with a cold-as-ice, "I'm not a fucking cowboy," and the interview didn't really recover.

The Gladiator 2 anecdote was funny though.