logo
episode-header-image
May 2020
41m 2s

Mike Birbiglia Faces His Darkest Fears a...

American Public Media
About this episode

Monologist and comedian Mike Birbiglia has always had a mile-long dark streak. Even if he’s never been diagnosed with clinical depression, he’s recognized his own lack of capacity to feel joy and is constantly aware of a kind of existential dread that haunts him. But rather than shy away from all that, he picks at it. Mike fills us in on how he deals with that darkness and the inner meaning of a lot of his work.


You can order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate


Visit MakeItOK.org to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.


If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Up next
Aug 2021
Introducing Depresh Mode with John Moe: Joel Kim Booster Is In A Pit
It's tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn't been very close (Joel's dad was a conservative Christian, Jo ... Show More
51m 41s
May 2020
Movies That Get Depression Right
It’s easy for movies to get depression wrong, portraying a clinical disorder as equivalent to just being bummed out and, in the case of romantic comedies, curable with a magical kiss. People with actual depression know better and appreciate films that show the truth. In this epis ... Show More
45m 18s
May 2020
Steven Page Camouflages Songs About Depression
As co-founder and co-frontman for the band Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page belted out a lot of up-tempo pop hits. But if you look at the lyrics to songs like "One Week" or "Pinch Me," you can see a lot of darkness and that's an approach that has continued with his solo work. We hea ... Show More
45m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
Josh Gondelman, the Good Boy of Comedy, is Somehow Just Fine. Gary Gulman is Baffled.
(takes a moment to secure tongue firmly in cheek)It would be rude to make fun of Josh Gondelman just because he’s a little strange. Or not strange. Instead, we’re going to learn from Josh about his career, his life, and how, even though he’s very bad at dancing he does it anyway. ... Show More
44m 3s
Mar 2021
Patton Oswalt Talks About It Because It Happened
Welcome to Depresh Mode with John Moe. In this episode, John explains how he came to be in the unique business of having open conversations about the kinds of mental disorders that have been kept quiet for a very long time. He welcomes in Patton Oswalt, who is one of the top come ... Show More
54m 54s
Mar 2023
Gary Gulman Is Feeling Much Better
What is it like to feel better in your mental state? And what does it take to get there and to stay that way? Those are some of the questions we ask in this interview with the great comedian Gary Gulman. Gary sounds very different than when John Moe first interviewed him back in ... Show More
1h 8m
Apr 23
A FEAR DUMP Ft. Joel Kim Booster | Episode 166
The incredible and hilarious Joel Kim Booster is here this week!! Joel and Drew talk being labeled as an “alt comedian”, getting unsolicited notes on Fire Island, how Joel met his fiance on vacation, college quidditch teams, managing call centers, eating salad with confidence, Dr ... Show More
1h 26m
Aug 2021
Griffin Newman with Co-Stars Depression, Anxiety, Comedy, Lousy Bikes, The Tick, Kevin Costner, and Woody Allen
You’ll notice that this episode is longer than most of our episodes. That’s just the way it tends to go with Griffin Newman. Episodes of his own podcast, Blank Check, regularly clock in at more than two hours. He acts in films and those often top two hours as well. And although h ... Show More
1h 22m
Jun 2021
Depresh Mode: Comedy and Mental Health with John Moe
Today’s guest, John Moe, is the host and creator of the podcast Depresh Mode. Before that, he hosted the award-winning hit podcast The Hilarious World of Depression, and he recently wrote and published a book by the same name. John has written for publications like The New York T ... Show More
41m 33s
Aug 2024
NEW HOST! RE-RELEASE: The Contrast Of The Color Of Their Hole (w/ Joel Kim Booster, Marie Faustin, Megan Gailey, and Ian Karmel)
New host, more cringe dating stories! Joel Kim Booster is here to introduce himself as the new host of Bad Dates, and to invite you down memory lane as you hear his own unhinged dating story from earlier this year, when Joel was a panelist on guest host Marie Faustin’s first epis ... Show More
40m 29s
Aug 2024
Coming Soon: Bad Dates with Joel Kim Booster!
Introducing the new host of Bad Dates, Joel Kim Booster! Each week, Joel's funniest friends will share their stories of where romance goes to die. New episodes coming shortly! Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes. 
1m 58s
Feb 2023
Neal Brennan Has Tried a LOT of Things
If you’ve listened to our show before, you know that we recommend a period of trial and error to find a mental health treatment that works best for you. Nothing works for everyone, after all, so you have to see what you respond to. Neal Brennan is the embodiment of that concept a ... Show More
58m 22s
Jan 2025
Comedian Joel Kim Booster on ‘Bad Dates’ and Why He’s a ‘Rude Little Pig’
You might have seen Los Angeles-based comedian Joel Kim Booster in the Maya Rudolph series “Loot,” or enjoyed his “Pride and Prejudice” adaptation “Fire Island,” set on the eponymous gay vacation spot. His latest project is hosting the podcast “Bad Dates,” where comedians share t ... Show More
57m 43s